The Dark Lord's Daughter
by ThatGirlWithBigEyes
Summary: [AU, Next Gen, Books] PART 1: An orphan named Gemini discovers who she is, what she can do, and what she was born to fulfill. PART 2: Gemini must fulfill her mission ato resurrect her father, and while the Aurors, the Order, Dumbledore's Army, and her fiance are out to stop her, she soon discovers that she's not as alone as she once thought.
1. PART 1: PROLOGUE - Family Affair

**Prologue – Seventeen Years Ago**

He came to them in the dead of night.

It had been less than a day since the Battle of Hogwarts, and Narcissa Malfoy still refused to sleep. Her husband refused to sleep as well, while Draco couldn't find it in him to sleep, so she had put a sleeping charm on them both hours ago. Narcissa would have done the same to herself, but she had slept once—after the brief but tiresome inquiry Kingsley Shacklebolt and the Ministry of Magic had done to prove their defection to the Dark Lord's cause—and she dreamt that the Potter boy's victory was a mere dream and she witnessed her son's death countless times. And so she decided it would be a while before she tried to sleep.

The warm cup of tea in her hands was the only way Narcissa knew she wasn't dreaming. She knew nothing would ever be the same again. She knew the Malfoys were way beyond repair, and it would take all their efforts to be accepted back into high wizarding society. She knew that she, Lucius, and Draco would be welcomed by their Slytherin friends, the ones who agreed with blood purity but did not have the guts to do what Lucius and her sister did. But as far as she was concerned, they were a public enemy until they could prove they truly weren't for the Dark Lord.

But what stressed her out more was what none of the others could see. The elegant drawing room had always given her a comfortable, homey feel, as it has been part of so many of her wonderful memories. _This was where Draco learned to walk._ She thought wistfully, a sad smile playing on her lips. _This was where Lucius gave me that beautiful diamond necklace for our first anniversary. To mother, This was where he promised that Draco could go to Hogwarts. This was where we learned that Draco was made prefect—how proud we were!_

And then her smiled disappeared, looking at the room like it was a dark and dreary dungeon she saw for the first time. _This was where I learned of Lucius' arrest, and then when Harry Potter almost killed my son. This was where the Dark Lord killed that Muggle Studies teacher, and where Bella tortured that muggle-born Granger._ She sighed. _No, things will never be the same again._

"Can't sleep?" Narcissa dropped her tea cup in surprise when she saw Lucius and Draco standing by the doorway. The light of the fireplace made them look gaunt and paler than usual, and she wondered if it was from the lack of sleep or if this was really going to be a regular appearance after all that's happened. "Neither can we, Narcissa."

"The charms weren't supposed to wear off until the sun rose." She said dryly, waving her wand wearily. The broken cup and spilled tea disappeared.

"Or you were just too weary and the charm wasn't strong enough." He said assumingly. "Narcissa…you must rest."

She turned to him, still seated stonily on their expensive couch. "I _can't_!Things are different now yet I can't stop dreaming about what could have been. You don't know what I see when I close my eyes. It's like I'm back at that school and it hadn't been the way it did and…"

Her voice cracked and she could feel the tears rolling down her face. Draco quickly ran to her, followed by Lucius, and soon enough all three of them were locked in a tight hug. She could see her son crying, something she rarely saw him do ever since he became a man, and she knew that he must be hurting as well, though he had never mentioned it. "Things are different now, mother, yes," Draco said comfortingly. "But we haven't lost everything."

"We still have each other." Lucius chimed in. "We are still alive. And for now, that is what matters most."

Narcissa smiled, the first genuine smile she's had ever since before the Dark Lord had initiated Draco into the Death Eaters. _Lucius is right,_ Narcissa thought. _The important thing is that we're here, together._

That was when she looked out the room's archway and saw him in the middle of the hallway foyer. His eyes were still dead, like the Imperiused victim he was. There was blood all over his face, and it was dripping all over the floor as far as she could see, and she wondered why he was still alive. He had a small bundle in his arms, which he carried fragilely as he trudged towards them. His dead eyes were staring into her, and she suddenly felt like the entire manor was freezing, like when the Dark Lord had turned her home into a headquarters. The memory of Professor Quirell carrying the Dark Lord at the back of his head passed her as she looked at the man, and she dreaded to think that Harry Potter had not truly killed the Dark Lord and was now coming for them, who had defected—especially her, who was the reason he believed that Potter was dead. She dared not to think of what would happen to her and her family if the Dark Lord rewarded her actions.

"Lucius!" Narcissa shouted, pointing at the man.

Lucius looked at her direction, his face going paler as he saw the man. "Shunpike, what are you doing here?" He yelled, the remnants of his commanding persona returning as he saw the threat to his family.

Narcissa immediately remembered the name. _Stan Shunpike. He was the Ministry's scapegoat, wasn't he? Yes, now I remember. Locked him up in Azkaban before he was freed but Imperiused to join us. But why does he look like he came out of the grave?_

"He wasn't in the battle, was he?" Narcissa asked quietly.

"He was, but I saw him running away after Potter played that trick with the Dark Lord." Lucius said tightly. He drew out his wand and pointed it warningly, but Shunpike didn't stop limping slowly towards them. Lucius yelled in anger "Not one step more, Shunpike! That's an order."

But the man wouldn't stop walking forward. Coming into the light of the nearby window, Shunpike was clearer now. There was blood all over his body, and Narcissa gasped and pulled Draco away when she saw how gory and open those wounds were. Several bones looked bent the wrong way, and his hands were shaking, straining to keep the bundle in his arms straight. _How is he still alive?_ Narcissa wondered.

"Stay back!" Narcissa joined her husband by the archway, drawing her wand out. "Draco, go."

"I'm not leaving you!" Draco said stubbornly as he grabbed his own wand and pushed in front of them.

But if the three Malfoys were brandishing their wands at the trespasser, Shunpike didn't show it. He kept limping towards them, dead in the eyes. Narcissa stood firm, one hand on Draco's shoulder. But then, she looked closer and saw that Shunpike's lips weren't trembling as she originally thought, but was actually repeating something inaudible. "What?" She asked aloud. "What is he saying?"

As if Shunpike heard her, he spoke louder. His voice was hoarse, and she could hear him straining. Finally, he managed a pitiful choke: "Cissy."

Narcissa froze. Draco and Lucius turned to her, noticing her expression turned from threatening to downright scared. "Darling, that name…" Lucius said fearfully.

"That was my childhood name." She said as she lowered her wand before cautiously approaching Shunpike. "The last person who knew that name died yesterday."

Shunpike kept staring at her. When she was close enough, he carried the bundle with one arm before holding out a letter addressed to "Cissy". Narcissa tentatively took the letter, immediately recognizing Bellatrix's wild handwriting.

 _Cissy,_

 _Reading this means that you have survived while I have sacrificed my life to the Dark Lord and his purpose, which even in death I am proud to say I have done. You are reading this also because the Dark Lord has fallen, while you have not; I don't think it is possible, but if it is, I am glad that at least you are alive—had you not, I don't know what I would have done. If you are reading this, I am glad that you have survived, and I wish you a better future that I will never be familiar of._

 _This is my daughter, Gemini Morgana Black. I have imperiused Shunpike to deliver her to you no matter what—even if he dies trying—should I no longer be there to raise her properly as mother and father did with you and I. I instructed him to give her to you also if the Dark Lord falls_

… _because Gemini is not Rodolphus' daughter, but the Dark Lord's._

 _I cannot properly put into words what has led me and him to producing such a pureblood like her, and my explanation here may not be adequate enough to explain the intensity of emotions that has brought her here. I can only admit that a year ago, shortly after he questioned Snape about his desire for Potter's mother, the Dark Lord wanted to know this feeling of desire, and attempted to find it with me. He didn't find it, however, and said what he felt easily bored him—though I was glad to be of his service—but I realized months later that I was carrying his child._

 _I wanted to tell you, Cissy. I wanted to ask you how to carry a child and raise it as you have raised Draco…but the Dark Lord forbade me. He said he would look weak, like a common man giving into animal desires, and thought it weakening for people to think he fell in love with me, but I was too loyal and important of a follower to get rid of, and, for some reason he wouldn't say, refused to get rid of the child like what Muggles do when they refuse to have children, though it was clear he did not love what was growing in me._

 _Remember that assignment that I had to do in Spain? The one that lasted months? I had Gemini in Madrid. She was born the week before Snape killed Dumbledore. I suggested we leave her in an orphanage, but he refused. The Dark Lord showed no love for our daughter, but he said he saw power in her—a Black, an heiress to Slytherin, and a future asset to his cause, and from time to time he and I would visit her. We imperiused a muggle to care for her, and Shunpike to guard her and to bring her to you should the Dark Lord and I have perished. If you are reading this, then I have instructed him to leave the battle at one point to protect our daughter and wait for what could happen._

 _I am writing this before we meet by Hogwarts, ready to face the pathetic Boy Who Lived. He won't live forever, and if you're reading this, I hope he has perished as well. I am positive that my death is not in vain and not easy, and I can't imagine the world you will live in after his fall. You aren't a Death Eater, so I'm certain you can avoid Azkaban…though for Lucius and your son, I am not so sure._

 _Do not cry over my death, Cissy, for I am proud to have lived a life in service to Him. Teach her, Cissy. Teach her everything she needs to know. Teach her to be proud of what she is, and to follow her footsteps set out by her mummy and daddy. I love you, little sister, and tell Gemini that I love has as well. My daughter is a Black and a Slytherin, and though the Dark Lord and I have fallen, I am still certain that our cause has not._

 _Your sister,_

 _Bella_

"Cissy…" Shunpike groaned once more, almost like he was begging for something. Narcissa ignored him and re-read the letter, trying to comprehend what her late sister wrote. She refused to be Andromeda's sister the moment she married Ted Tonks, so she never saw Nymphadora as family. But to see this, to feel that she was an aunt to her _only_ sister's daughter…she looked at the bundle.

"Cissy…" Narcissa removed some of the cloth aside and saw her. _Gemini._ The girl was a striking resemblance of her mother. She was slightly paler than Bellatrix—closer to her father than her mother—which was strikingly off-set by her dark black hair, which was on the verge of forming curls. She looked only a few months old, but Narcissa could tell that she was going to be a beautiful girl.

"Narcissa, dear," She felt Lucius standing behind her. "What is it?"

She turned slowly to her husband, showing him the letter. "May I?" He asked gently, and she handed it to him. She watched him read the letter, his expression changing from cautious to apprehensive. Draco looked at her, motioning if he could read the letter too. She nodded, and Draco stood by his father, showing the same expression change.

"Cissy…" She turned to Shunpike, and one look at him, at his pitiful, pleading eyes, she understood and pulled the girl out of the bundle. She was wearing a black frock, as well as Bellatrix's necklace with the bird skull. The moment Gemini was no longer in Shunpike's arms, Shunpike's arms went limp and he fell to the ground. Narcissa looked at the baby, who finally woke up as she carried her. At first, she could have sworn Gemini had dark red eyes like her father, but slowly it looked browner like Bellatrix's. Gemini looked at Narcissa, smiling, and part of Narcissa wanted to hug her poor, orphaned niece, while the other half wanted to cower at the daughter of the most powerful dark wizard of all time.

"Good god, Narcissa." Lucius went to her. She looked at her husband's reaction, and it seemed like he was cowering at the baby the same way he resembled a shriveled version of himself after his disgrace at the Department of Mysteries. He wouldn't even look at the girl for a few seconds. "Where are we going to leave her?"

" _Leave_ her?" Draco asked incredulously.

"Well you don't expect that girl to remain in this house, do you?" Lucius asked, confused by his son's reaction. "She's dangerous!"

"She's my cousin! _Your_ niece!" Draco protested. "And she's just a baby! We're her only family."

"No, we're not. Her family also includes the _Dark Lord."_ Lucius stressed. "She's a danger to us—us, the family who betrayed her father! Don't you think her revenge is all but imminent when she grows up in this house? Her parents have brought this house nothing but trouble and I don't intend for her to kick the sand when she grows old enough to wield a wand."

"We don't have to tell her she's Voldemort's child!" Draco reasoned, ignoring Lucius' cringe at the name. "She looks like Aunt Bellatrix anyway, we can always say she's Uncle Rodolphus'—"

"No, we're not." The two stopped to look at Narcissa, looking calm and firm as put Gemini down. The baby began crawling around the hall. "We are not going to keep her—don't interrupt me, Draco. Everyone who knew Rodolphus and Bellatrix will know that they could never have a child, and even if it's unlikely, I won't risk anyone finding out that the Dark Lord's daughter resides in our house."

"It's _unlikely."_ Draco pointed out. "Only us three know of her existence so—"

"That's not the point, Draco." Narcissa said firmly. "I refuse to put my family into harm's way, even for Bellatrix's daughter. What do you think will people say when it gets out that we, the family whose loyalty has shifted so many times, are harboring the daughter of the wizard who tried to kill so many people? They'll say we haven't truly defected and we can get sent to Azkaban for this girl.

"I know it's an awful thing to do," She approached Draco and hugged him as he looked sullen. "But we can't risk anything anymore at this point, dear. And I'm sure she will be okay—much better without knowing who she really is."

Lucius couldn't stop looking apprehensively at the baby on the ground. "What do we do now?" He asked.

All three of them looked at the little girl, who was now looking confused at all three of them. "We get her away from here, maybe Kent or Essex. At least leave her in a decent orphanage." Narcissa said solemnly. "No point in hiding her up in Northumberland. In eleven years' time, they'll find her—they'll think she was abandoned by some other wizard—and she'll be just a normal wizard."

Draco looked at the little girl. She was Voldemort's daughter, yes, but that was not her choice and now she was going to be punished. _It's not fair!_ He thought sadly. _It's like…like…punishing me for being a Malfoy!_

"A normal _pureblood_ wizard." Lucius said dryly. Narcissa glared at him, but he smirked. "It's all right, dear. By the time someone tells her what she really is, she'll assume that she's muggle-born or something."

 _The Dark Lord came from an orphanage,_ Narcissa thought ironically. _And how did that turn out?_


	2. The Slytherin Girl

CHAPTER 1 – June 2014

"Gemini, do you mind staying behind for a while?" Professor Slughorn called amidst the noise of the other seventh years cleaning up and leaving the classroom.

"Yes, Professor." Gemini waved her wand and her cauldron floated back to the cupboards. Her book and potion ingredients flew into her bag while the rest of the ingredients flew back into the cupboards. The cabinets to the cauldrons closed shut, startling a Hufflepuff girl trying to arrange her ingredients in the other cupboards. Gemini stifled a giggle, and merely shrugged at the girl before turning to Professor Slughorn's table.

"Tut tut, Ms. Ridley. Rules are rules—no magic." Professor Slughorn said sternly, though he failed in fighting back a smile. "But that was impressive. One wave and all the things go in their proper place. Requires a lot of focus, 'specially for someone as young as you."

"Thank you professor." Gemini smiled. Professor Slughorn gave her a secret smile before he turned to the remaining students, waving good-bye to some while reminding others of the dinner party after their N.E.W.T.s. Finally, the last student made his way out and Slughorn turned to her.

"Now Miss Ridley, just because you don't mention anything doesn't mean I don't know…" Professor Slughorn opened a compartment in his table and pulled out a bottle of wine. "I don't wish to be inappropriate as a teacher by giving gifts, but it's your birthday so I hope you don't mind…"

"Thanks, professor." Gemini grinned. "I can share this with Abigail and the others."

"Ah yes, Miss Flint and your other Slytherin girls." Professor Slughorn smiled. "Enjoy it, it's really aged so you girls could get a kick out of it. Your birthday's on the day you depart from Hogwarts so you could enjoy it on the train!"

"Wait, how did you know my birthday was coming up?"

"Of course I'd remember your birthday! It's not every day I go to an orphanage in Kent to meet a witch!' Professor Slughorn laughed. He smiled and patted her on the head. "I remember, though my memory prevents me from remembering what I had for breakfast the other day. You were eleven, and Headmaster Flitwick assigned me to look for you. After all, you wouldn't believe an owl who gave you some random letter now, would you? Didn't think so. Why, I remember your look of surprise when I told you magic is real!"

~0~

Gemini could remember that day—it was the first day that a lot of things made sense. Before she met Professor Slughorn, she was one of the oldest children in the orphanage. A lot of people came to adopt orphans there, and Gemini had been picked so many times that she had lost count. But whenever she started to feel at home, a lot of unexplained events started occurring—some of them dangerous accidents—and no family had been willing to keep her for more than a few months. She had always thought there was something wrong with her, but Professor Slughorn came and told her she was a witch and that it was normal for young witches to not be able to control their powers at first.

He explained to her about Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, a boarding school in Scotland for people like her. She would have to return to the orphanage during the summer, but because Hogwarts had large donations from wizarding families, she would have a small allowance to be able to go there, and he would help her with getting things she needed for school. It took the whole afternoon to explain the magical world to her, and he hadn't even finished when the orphanage matron warned that visiting hours were almost up.

"I'll return tomorrow to explain further, my dear." Slughorn said as he stood up from the chair. "But I don't wish to leave you, as they put it, _on edge_ , so if you have any question…"

"I do, actually." Gemini said sheepishly. "Since you have magic, can you tell me who my parents are?"

His smile disappeared. "I…I'm afraid I don't know, my dear." He said sadly. "There's no magic that can find that out—at least none that I know of."

"Oh." She said, trying to contain her disappointment. "Well, did you know them?"

"I'm afraid I don't know any Ridley—"

"I'm not a Ridley. Ms. Hastings said that's the name the government gave me for a last name."

"Ahh…well…" Professor Slughorn looked uncomfortably at his feet. "You see, Ms. Ridley, being a witch doesn't exactly mean that at least one parent of yours is a witch or wizard…"

And so it began again. When it was time to leave, Professor Slughorn merely gave a flick of his wand and, when Ms. Hastings went to check her, left the room quietly in a trance-like state. He stayed late until the evening, explaining more about where Gemini could have possibly come from. She was disappointed, as even if she was a witch, her chances of finding her true parents haven't even narrowed the slightest.

"I have this." Gemini removed her necklace and gave it to Professor Slughorn. "Ms. Hastings said that it was the only thing I had when I was left here in the orphanage. If it's my parents…can't I do anything with it?"

Professor Slughorn took it tentatively in his hands. It was a black necklace with a metal bird skull. He rubbed the skull between two fingers. It almost looked like a familiar mask, like… _Could it be?_ He tried to hide the dread as he looked at the girl. Gemini Ridley looked like a precocious young girl with pale skin and black curly hair. By her age listed on her file, Slughorn deduced that she was born around the time Albus died, and her parents were most likely young elopers who regretted their decisions after the Second Wizarding War. There was also a possibility she had muggle parents who gave her up at the same time. There was also a chance the parents were dead. No, there were too many options. The necklace most likely came from a muggle parent. _A really macabre parent._ "I'm afraid not, my dear, especially if the parent is a muggle. Tell me, do you remember anything about your family? Anything at all?"

"Not really…" She said sullenly. She could only remember the feeling of being cold from time to time, which made her believe that her parents were probably from Northumberland or Scotland. She remembered a woman's voice, but she couldn't remember what the woman was saying. She remembered the sound of a man repeating something…but no matter how she tried, she couldn't remember what he kept saying.

Professor Slughorn grimaced at the little girl. "It's all right, m'dear. Now you can start thinking about the future. I'll return within the week if you need to talk to some more about the magic world, and around August, I—or our groundskeeper, Hagrid—will take you to Diagon Alley in London—that's where you can buy most of the things for school…"

And so it began. Gemini was introduced to a world that she believed only existed in story books. If her first trip to London was exciting, it was even more so when she entered a pub called the Leaky Cauldron with Professor Slughorn tapping a brick wall to a secret but giant street huma— _muggles_ couldn't see. Professor Slughorn helped her find her robes, bought her first owl, whom she named Orion. She eventually made it to Hogwarts and was sorted into Slytherin House. She was determined to be a great witch, and if her parents couldn't see that, she was going to prove it to herself. Her determination to succeed made her excel in all her classes, and slowly became friends with the other Slytherins, who had learned of her story and believed that she was most likely a half-blood or pureblood because, as a few had whispered to her: _no mudblood could ever be that good._

And slowly, she believed it. On her first Charms class, she was called by Professor Finnigan for being too noisy and was asked to levitate her feather in front of the class; she proceeded to make every feather in the room float. In Transfiguration, they were assigned to turn a needle into a roach; Gemini proceeded to produce a roach that dissolved into an army of tiny roaches that attacked a nearby Slytherin boy who called her a mudblood the day before. In Herbology, Professor Longbottom made them stick an arm in a hole of a giant box containing a small amount of Devil's Snare, and they all had to take turns finding a way how to get out; everyone struggled, but when it was Gemini's turn, it was as if the plant was reluctant to grab her, and she realized she just had to keep still before the tendrils quickly released her.

She became one of the brightest, prettiest, and most ambitious students of her year—the envy of those arrogant, patronizing Ravenclaws and the vain and shallow Gryffindor girls—with the help of some of her friends, of course. She joined the Slug Club, and became one of Professor Slughorn's favorites. She was the hands down shoe-in for the Slytherin Prefects on her fifth year. And now, she was Head Girl. She wondered if her parent amounted to anything as close to what she accomplished.

~0~

"Oh Gemini," Gemini broke out of her trance as Professor Slughorn reached out for a hug. "It is as if just yesterday you were sorted into my House, and now you're graduating all of a sudden. I know this is an inappropriate—and quite favoritism thing to say—but I like to think of you as the daughter I've raised."

"Awww, thanks Professor." Gemini said, returning his hug. "I'll just leave this in my room before headin to Transfiguration."

"Yes, yes—I forgot you're so busy. Head Girl, Slytherin Keeper, and with N.E.W.T.s coming in a week. Such a good girl." Professor Slughorn said proudly. "Go, I'll see you at dinner."

The rest of Gemini's day seemed to move incredibly slowly. She was itching for a Time Turner to speed up time, waiting for after dinner. Finally, after her classes and finishing up on her Head Girl duties in delegating her duties to the other prefects, she headed to the Hospital Tower, to the Prefect's Bathroom.

"Squeaky clean." She told the statue guarding the door, who slid to one side to let her in. The room lit up when she stepped inside, and her favorite scent of mangoes filled the air. The mermaids on the stained glass windows waved at her and started playing harp music. Gemini sighed at the calming effect it had after a long day. She was aiming for top marks in her N.E.W.T.s, and there was little time to relax.

"Gemini." She was startled to see the Head Boy, Alexander Wood, there, wrapped in a bathrobe but still dripping wet. "Nice to see you here. Sorry about overstepping my time."

"I thought you were leading the Gryffindors to your Dormitories tonight?" She asked. Alexander merely shrugged. "Well, whatever. If you don't mind, it's my turn to use the bathroom."

Alexander grinned at her, opening his bathrobe. Gemini didn't flinch as he confidently stripped and went back to the tub. Alexander was the Seeker for the Gryffindor team and was muscular like a girl's daydream, but she knew only one person who had a tattoo like that on his chest. "Actually, I think I'll stay. Don't worry, I'll just watch—unless you ask me otherwise."

Gemini smirked, stripping down nonchalantly until she was in her underwear. "Is it the full moon already, Teddy? My, that was fast"

In response, Edward Lupin morphed back into himself, with his familiar shaggy hair, black eyes, and wild smile that he used when his animalistic instincts kicked in during the full moon. "Get over here before I turn into a wolf just looking at you."

Gemini grinned wickedly before provocatively stripping the rest of her underwear and slowly getting in the water to sit next to him. "And your little Veela girlfriend?"

Teddy looked at Gemini Ridley. She was the total opposite of Victoire Weasley, and the only thing they had in common was the pale skin. Gemini was a seventh year Slytherin—a year older than Teddy—while Victoire a fourth year Gryffindor. Where Victoire was a blonde with willowy grace, Gemini had black hair to match her dark and mischievous personality. Victoire was an angel, no doubt, and Teddy loved her so much, but there was something about Gemini—a kind of dark, magnetic beauty that was even more irresistible when the full moon came. She was charming when she wanted to be, and no matter how much he tried, he could never get past the façade to guess what she was thinking. She was from Slytherin too, and their forbidden romance made it much more exciting. Teddy wasn't a werewolf like his father, but like Victoire's father, he had wolf-like tendencies, one of which was giving into strong desires.

"It's been four months, Gemini." He pouted. "You care about my girlfriend's feelings all of a sudden? A Slytherin girl with a conscience?"

She scoffed, pulling him closer to her into a kiss. "Of course not." She said in between kisses. "And as for her feelings…well, what she doesn't know won't hurt her, right?"

He put his hands on her back, pulling her closer. The slippery helped and their bodies were pressed together. "No, it won't."


	3. Draco's Decision

Chapter 2

Malfoy Manor seemed much emptier now. Even their son, Scorpius, didn't scream upon arrival that he wanted to go to his playroom and solemnly stayed by his parents' side, gripping his mother's hand like a lifeline. They were all in black, which made the three of them look as pale as Narcissa Malfoy's white hair before the casket closed. Both mother and son stood slightly behind Draco, who wouldn't speak ever since the funeral ended.

"Scorpius," Astoria Malfoy said quietly. "Why don't you head up to the playroom?" Scorpius looked at her with pleading eyes. "I'll be with you in just a moment."

Scorpius nodded and went ahead of his parents. As soon as he left, Astoria put a hand on Draco's shoulder. "Draco…if you want to talk…"

"I'm fine." Draco said thickly. He turned to his wife and kissed her. "We're going to be fine. I was expecting mother to live long enough to see Scorpius off to Hogwarts, but with all that she'd been through…"

"She was a fine woman." Astoria smiled. "Not the most accepting but…"

"She loved you, Tori." Draco wrapped an arm around her. "She didn't show it, but I think she liked you a lot."

"I think she did, even if we didn't agree on a lot of stuff." Astoria giggled. They heard a knock in the door, and she looked at Draco. "I should—"

"No no, let me." Draco forced a smile. "You should go check on Scorpius; I can't imagine what the little tyke's going through after seeing his grandmother's burial."

"You'll follow?"

"I'll be there in a while. Just have to take care of something in the office first. Mother and father would crawl out of their graves if I left the business on its own for even a day."

"Alright." Astoria made her way down the hall and climbed the grand staircase while Draco headed back to the door. He was greeted by a wizard in a postal uniform.

"I have a letter for a Mr. Draco Malfoy." The man said. "Post-life mail."

"What?" Draco asked.

" _Post-life_ mail." The man explained. "Letters we're supposed to give to people following the sender's death. It's a pretty new business. Please sign here."

Draco signed a paper on a clipboard before a man handed him a blank sheet of paper. As soon as the paper touched his hands, it yellowed into a parchment and curled up. A bow wrapped the roll, and a seal grew to hold it into place. In the seal was his initials, D.M. Draco thanked the man before closing the door and heading back to his office. As soon as he closed the door behind him, he tore the seal and opened it. He skipped the entire letter, his heart skipping a beat when he saw his mother's name at the end. The letter read:

 _Draco,_

 _I made this letter because, throughout my life, I have realized how uncertain death is. After Scorpius' last birthday, I realized that, in my age, death is a large possibility, and if I didn't have the chance to tell you parting words, I'd want to have a way to leave you with something in case my death would have been sudden._

 _I love you, my son. I love you as I have loved your father. I love you more than my life, and ever since the Battle of Hogwarts, when I thought you had died in the castle, I realized that I love you more than I love myself. From the moment I gave birth to you, I tried to be there for you as much as possible, and though I have let you make your own choices, whether they were right or wrong, I am proud to have been with you through many of your struggles and accomplishments. I am proud of you, Draco, and I would suffer in the afterlife if you did not know that._

 _After your father's death, I thought I would have gone quickly after out of grief. It is your family—your own family—that has kept me going. Astoria is a wonderful wife and mother, and even though I do not agree with what she feeds into Scorpius' mind, she will make you happy. Scorpius is a bright young boy, as bright as you were growing up, and he will be a successful man in the future. As for you, your life is only beginning, Draco, and I know you will be even more rich and successful than your father._

 _I am also writing this because I know what you plan to do, and I need to warn you from beyond the grave not to. Though we have never talked about her after that night, I know you intend to find Gemini Black, now that I am not there to stop you. Draco, I beg you not to. In fact, I made sure it will be difficult for you, so the girl might as well be living in France and going to Beaubaxtons for all you know. But I beg you not to waste the effort in looking for her. By the time I'm writing this, she is a student in some wizard school, and because she has no idea of who she is, the world is safer; more importantly,_ you're _safer. Look at your life now. You have Astoria, Scorpius, our wealth restored, and you comfortably living in Malfoy Manor. Had it been revealed that a child like Gemini existed, things would have been different. Please, don't try—you'll be wasting time and effort for a search that will disappoint you._

 _I know you will do the right thing, and I wish you so much love and luck in your future._

 _Love, Mother_

 _Mother knows me well._ Draco fought the urge to breakdown again, knowing very well that it was time for him to move on. He had known her death was inevitable ever since St. Mungo's diagnosed her with a terminal illness. He spent a fortune to get the best healers on her bedside, but she died in the middle of the night without warning. He hated crying in front of Scorpius, but Astoria was loving and understanding and Draco knew he couldn't stop functioning for them just because he was sad. _At least she's with father, wherever they are._

Draco re-read the last paragraph, his mother's warning very clear. True, they had never spoken of his cousin, Gemini Black, ever since the night they left her in the orphanage. His mother insisted that she went alone, so they were less conspicuous, but he and his father refused to let her leave alone, the aftermath of the Dark Lord's death still instilling fear in them. He watched his mother leave the infant in a basket by the door of the orphanage and knocked, apparating the three of them back home before the doo opened. And that was the end of that…or so his parents thought.

 _Gemini,_ Draco thought. _Where are you now?_ He crudely estimated that she should be sixteen by now, a sixth year in a school. His mother kept old pictures of her and Aunt Bellatrix, and he remembered one photo of his third year mother sitting with her sixth year sister in the Slytherin Commons. If he took that picture with him, would he be able to spot his cousin? He remembered how pale she was, with black hair that curled and eyes that turned from red to brown. He knew that they remained brown, if there was no news about a young witch with red eyes.

The idea passed his mind from time to time. After they moved on from the Battle of Hogwarts, Draco slowly got his life together. He dated and married Astoria, a pureblood who shared his newfound beliefs. Their family business grew prosperous when they were proven to be truly defected to Lord Voldemort's beliefs. Draco learned how to be happy again, how to stop calling muggleborns mudbloods, how to distance himself from friends who still believed in the Dark Lord's cause. But through every milestone he had, he couldn't help but think about his abandoned cousin. _Was she with a good family too? How did she find out about being a witch? Did she do well in school? Does she have friends? Does she think herself a muggleborn?_ Draco remembered how he treated all the muggleborns he met in school and cringed, wishing she had friends like Hermione Granger had Potter and Weasley who would protect her from those who would bow at her feet if they knew her father.

He looked at one corner of his office. Computers were a muggle invention, but he found them to be very useful. Granger motioned the Ministry to use computers as a means of easier access to information, and even his father begrudgingly agreed she was right. Draco had one installed when he needed to look for things for his business, and had the option to have Muggle internet added in case his business needed interaction with muggles. He knew what his mother told him: _Please, don't try—you'll be wasting time and effort for a search that will disappoint you._ He grabbed at the table in the middle of the room to think. _She's my cousin, but that's just about it. Nymphadora Tonks was my cousin, but I didn't give a hoot about her. Why do I care so much about Gemini?_ He thought about leaving the room, going to his wife and child, and moving on with his life. He didn't think about starting a search deemed fruitful. He didn't need his mother to tell him that it was impossible—there were too many options, too many possibilities. She could have been a squib and grew up with muggles, believing to be a muggle herself. And for all he knew, she could be a squib with a different name. He bargained with his mother to let Gemini keep at least her first name, but he wondered if she didn't. There was so much to go on, Draco wasn't sure what he was going to do.

He made his decision. _I'm sorry, mother,_ Draco said as he opened his computer. _But Gemini deserves to know at least part of who she really is. She's family, and if there's even a chance she thinks she's alone in the world, I'm going to show her that she's not._


	4. Graduation Day

Chapter 3

As soon as their boats docked at the other side, the seventh years began screaming as they ran out of their boats and onto the other side. They had just completed the tradition of taking the boats to the other side of the lake, which symbolized the end of their studies at Hogwarts. But for Gemini, she was celebrating two things: her graduation, the end of the home she knew, and her seventeenth birthday, the year she became an adult witch.

"A'right seventh yea's!" Hagrid the Groundskeeper roared. "Train leaves in thirty minutes so you get'ta go to Hogsmeade fo a while. Just be in the train then, a'ryt?"

Gemini and her best friend, a stunning green-eyed brunette named Abigail Flint, ignored the half-giant as they ran in their normal clothes to Hogsmeade. Gemini, in flats, black leggings, a black tank top, and a green cardigan, wondered how Abigail, in a frilly green dress and heels, could run so fast, tugging her as they ran.

"Come on, Cassandra's meeting us in The Three Broomsticks!" Abigail said breathlessly as she pulled Gemini down the hill, shoving a Ravenclaw girl in their way. "We better get there before the other years take the best seats." Behind them, their friends Tamina Warrington and Catherine Pucey followed behind. All of them laughed shrilly as they made their way to Hogsmeade.

When they entered the Three Broomsticks, Cassandra Zabini was seated in a long row of connected tables and chairs with three other Slytherins, her twin brother Cassio, Zoey Rosier, and Zoey's boyfriend, Nate Montague. The inn was starting to fill up with students, and the sound of other carriages incoming came from outside. Gemini sat down between Abigail and Cassandra and when everyone was seated one of Madame Rosmerta's waiters brought over eight butterbeers.

"To us!" Nate Montague stood up for a toast. "The Slytherins of 2014!"

Everyone cheered and clinked glasses before gulping down their drinks. They ignored the glaring students from the other tables and celebrated their victory. It had been Slytherin's year: they won the Quidditch Championships, the House Cup, and Gemini won most of the graduation awards, including the awards for the best students of the Head of Houses.

 _Let them glare,_ Gemini thought smugly as a pair of entering Gryffindors looked at her and whispered. She smiled sweetly at them before raising her glass and tipping it over her lips. Instead of raising her pinky finger, she showed them a middle finger. _Those mudbloods are just jealous._

"That was classy." Abigail whispered in her ear, winking.

"I refuse to step down to their level." Gemini scoffed.

Abigail grinned at her before she took a gulp from her glass and stood up. "Here's to Gemini, the Queen of Slytherin! Happy Birthday to the Queen!"

"To the Queen!" The Slytherins cheered. Even the other Slytherins inside the pub cheered.

"This bitch right here is the best of us all!" Cassandra yelled. "And if anyone calls her muggleborn or doubts she's something less than a half-blood, they're fooling themselves and they're just downright gits!"

The Slytherin's toasted her, and Gemini could feel the blood rushing to her cheeks.

"Ah, if it isn't my graduating class!" Everyone turned to see Professor Slughorn by the door. Gemini's table greeted him. Cassio Zabini pulled a chair for him, but he refused. "Oh, I'm just here because I have an old student in the Ministry in charge of the N.E.W.T.s and I thought I should give some of my students their letters. Luckily, all you lot are in the same table so…"

He passed the letters around, giving Gemini her letter with a bright smile. "Oh, and Happy Birthday, Ms. Ridley! The Ministry has heard of your outstanding performance in the exams and have asked me to ask you if you would be interested in an internship with a Deputy Head."

Abigail squealed and hugged her, congratulating her. "Wow, sure Professor Slughorn. I'd be honored!" Gemini said humbly."

"Excellent, excellent!" He beamed. "Expect an owl from the Ministry soon. Well, congratulations as well to you lot."

He spoke with the other students, lingering for a while until he found himself sitting with them and having his own firewhisky. For a minute, Gemini was extremely quiet. "What's wrong?" Abigail asked when she noticed Gemini's silence. "I thought Professor Slughorn said that— _Merlin's beard._ "

Gemini had gotten Outstanding in all her nine subjects. Cassandra glanced and gasped, and was about to shout but Gemini pulled her down. "Don't, please. I think that's enough praising for me."

"Shit, they say Ravenclaws were the smart ones." Cassandra said quietly. She turned to Gemini and smiled. "You've done extremely well, Gem!"

"I'm so proud!" Abigail chimed in. "Who knows? You might be the Minister of Magic in a few years."

"Yeah, because we could use a Slytherin Minister." Gemini said dryly, and the girls laughed.

"Hey Gem," Abigail whispered when Zoey called Cassandra's attention. "Are you going back to the orphanage?"

Gemini's smiled disappeared. _Oh right._ "I guess. They can take me in until I'm eighteen—that's the adult age for muggles—and then after that I have to find my own place or they find a shelter for me."

Abigail looked thoughtful for a while, and then smiled. "Why don't you stay with me?" She said giddily.

"What?" Gemini narrowed her eyes. "Abby, I appreciate the offer but…I don't want to mooch off of you and I really just want to find my own way—"

"Nonsense!" Abby said firmly. "You're my best friend, Gem. Daddy bought me a penthouse in London to stay near the city. I'm going to be a fashion stylist and personal shopper to some people in the Ministry who don't know how to dress like muggles but interact with the muggles in some way—oh I can't wait! But yeah, think of it this way: you stay with me until you get a flat of your own, and I'm pretty sure the Ministry's in London so it's a lot better than living in some orphanage in Kent. You're not a muggleborn, Gem. You don't deserve to live in an orphanage."

"You know…I can apparate." Gemini said weakly. "I'm fine with living in Kent."

"No you're not." Abigail said matter-of-factly. "When we arrive back in King's Cross, if you don't take the cab to my flat willingly, I'm going to body-bind you until we get there. And it's your _birthday!_ I'm not letting you celebrate it on a bus to Kent. Oh, and while we're at it, the girls and I got you this…Catherine!"

Catherine pulled out a large box from under the table and passed it to her. Inside, Gemini saw a lot of designer clothes from high-end brands.

"No way is a Slytherin working for the Ministry without Chanel." Abigail said proudly.

Gemini scowled at her, but Abigail smiled that smirk she used when she knew she won, and Gemini couldn't help but laugh. "Thanks, Abby. Thanks, guys. But I swear, I'm going to get on my feet as fast as I can."

The two girls hugged before joining back on the conversation about successful Hogwarts students Slughorn knew. Finally, Slughorn had to return to the castle, while the others started leaving to head to the other shops for one last time. Abigail invited Gemini to visit Zonko's before they leave, but Gemini said she'd rather just walk around before they re-convened in the train. The remaining Slytherins left the pub before going their separate ways.

Gemini couldn't help but still feel giddy over her N.E.W.T.s. _Did mother or father get high N.E.W.T.s too?_ And she didn't even have to worry about her future! She didn't go to the Ministry, the Ministry went to her! Her future had never looked brighter. She wouldn't have to work a part-time muggle job to get by, as she thought she would have to once school ended. _This is only the beginning._ She thought hopefully. _After I intern for the Deputy, I'm gonna work for them and then—_

"Uh…hi. Gemini."

Gemini turned around. He was definitely a seventh year, since she saw him in Potions and Herbology, but she remembered that he was a Gryffindor and never really talked to him. He was wearing a plain shirt and jeans with blue trainers, and looked really nervous that she could see a sheen of sweat starting to form on his forehead.

"Uh…hi." Gemini said politely. "I'm sorry, do I know you?"

"Um…yeah. I'm Arnold. Arnold Longbottom." He said nervously.

 _Longbottom?_ "You're Professor Longbottom's kid?"

"Yeah, he's my dad." He said shyly, not meeting her eyes. "That's why I'm not taking the train…he and I are going to apparate in a while."

"Oh." _God this guy is boring._ "Well, what do you want?"

"Well I wouldn't mind taking the train too since all my friends are there—"

"I meant, why did you call me?" Gemini asked bluntly. A couple of Slytherin girls passed by, smirking at her but giving Arnold the side-eye. _Please just go._

"I…I wanted to give you this." He said sheepishly as he handed her a box. He looked so pitifully hopeful when she put Abigail's box down and held the box in her hands that she opened it just to make him stop. Inside, there was a small, dark green snake, soundly asleep. It surprised her, but oddly enough, it reminded her of the tomcat back in the orphanage and she wasn't scared.

"I got it as a gift from my Uncle in the Amazon." Arnold explained quietly. "I thought about giving it to you when you won that award. You were pretty much the best in all the classes I took with you, and I think you're really smart?"

 _Don't tell me this is a…_ "Oh, well it's really nice. Thanks." Gemini said emotionlessly. "Anything else?"

She could tell Arnold was disappointed by her reaction, and even glanced at some Slytherins looking amusedly at him, but he continued. "I just wanted to tell you that I think you're really smart and pretty and I've liked you for a long time and I want to say this before you get on that train. And I was hoping that after Hogwarts you and I could—" He was blabbering so pitifully that Gemini didn't even let him finish.

"Sorry, but I'm interning for the Ministry. Plus I'll be staying in London from now on." She tried to sound apologetic.

"I live in London too." Arnold's eyes lit up. "My mum's the owner of the Leaky Cauldron. We live in the flat above it."

 _I'm not going to get rid of this guy, am I?_ "Great." She said sardonically, too annoyed to let the sarcasm in her voice hide. _Does he not get why Slytherins don't_ do _Gryffindor?_ "Have fun. Unfortunately I'll be busy so I'm going to have to take a raincheck on that date."

"Oh." He said sadly. "Well, can I at least walk you to the train?"

 _That's it._ She opened her mouth to say something harsh and be done with it, but she caught something in the window across the street that made her stop.

Madam Puddifoot's Tea Shop was crawling with couples, and Victoire Weasley's silvery blonde hair caught the sunlight as she and Teddy Lupin stepped out. From across the street, Teddy had that haggard look about him that signaled the end of the full moon. He immediately caught her eye and looked away. He stepped to one side and Victoire quickly pulled him in for a kiss. He pulled her closer, his hand sliding lower to her bum, yet he kept eye contact with Gemini the whole time.

 _Asshole,_ Gemini fumed. She turned to Arnold. "Fine, you can walk me to the train." She smiled wryly. "You can carry my other box." She slipped her hand in his arm, ignoring the gapes from nearby Slytherins and Gryffindors— _I'll never see half of you bitches anymore, anyway—_ as they started walking to the train station. Victoire was more interested in Teddy, but Teddy started shooting daggers at Arnold's way.

"So…" Gemini tried to make things less awkward. The path to the train station was still mostly deserted as there was ten minutes to go. She knew she wasn't into Arnold Longbottom, but she might as well make the most of their time. "You _like_ me?"

Arnold blushed. "Yes…I think you're beautiful and really smart and—"

"You already said that." She said sharply. "You have a crush on me because I'm pretty and I'm smart? Why? Do you have none of those in Gryffindor?"

"None like you." He smiled awkwardly. "I'm sorry. I understand if you think I'm weird. I had second thoughts about even talking to you on the last day but…well, my dad always says if he could survive a battle, I could do anything if I put my mind to it. I hope you like the snake, though."

"I do." She said, looking at the small box. "I think I'll name it…Orion."

"Orion? Like the constellation?"

"I don't know. The name just sounded fitting."

"Oh." He said, his voice fading.

"Can I tell you a secret?" He asked after a while, smiling. When they were alone, he seemed to ease up.

"I thought you just did about that whole crush thing." Gemini said dryly. "What is it?"

"That's also a birthday gift." Arnold said. "Happy Birthday, Gemini."

"You stalker." Gemini said, hitting him playfully. "But thank you. I really like Orion."

The two kept talking on the way there. They talked about their seventh year and their N.E.W.T.s—though Gemini kept quiet about her results. She kept the conversation polite, and soon Arnold stuttered less. She wasn't attracted to him, but she found herself enjoying the company to the train. Finally, she arrived, and went to the place where the Slytherins stayed.

"So, this is me." She motioned at the door.

"Okay…" Arnold said quietly, handing her Abigail's gift box. "About that date in London…"

Gemini cringed. "I'm sorry Arnold, but…you're a friendly guy and all, but I don't want to promise anything I might not go through. And it's not a Gryffindor-Slytherin thing."

"You don't have to explain, it's fine." He smiled assuringly. "I'll just…maybe I'll see you around London."

"Maybe I'll pass by the Leaky Cauldron." She promised him, placing a foot on the train. "'kay, bye."

"Bye!" Arnold smiled, stumbling as he walked back, waving. He nearly tripped and had to flap his arms to stay standing. "Sorry…" He said, blushing. "Well, bye again!"

"Bye!" Gemini waved. She couldn't help but smile at his endearing manner, but as soon as he disappeared back into the path to the forest, she brushed it off and entered.

She went to the compartment she and the others used for years. She was still the first one, and so she took the nearest window seat. She slipped the gift box in the overhead rack along with her bag, and kept the snake box. She opened the box and smiled as the snake slithered and looked at her. She petted the snake on the head before sighing, wondering how long it would be before the others arrived.

 _He's kinda cute, don't you think?_ She heard a male voice say.

She stood up and went out of the compartment, looking if there was anyone outside. There were a handful of Slytherins in the public cart, but apart from them, no one could have spoken.

"He's not _that_ cute." She said to herself. _Must be in my head._

 _But he issssss!_ Gemini heard the stress of the letter s and looked down at the snake. It was looking at her, its head slightly tilted as if waiting for an answer.

"Can you understand me, Orion?" Gemini asked, astonished.

 _Uhhh…looksss like it._ She heard.

"Oh my god, that is so cool!" Gemini said. "I should show you to my friends and—"

 _Friendssss? Pleassse no. I'm ssshy._

"But—"

 _I'm not usssed to lotsss of people. I hope you don't mind. Makesss me nervoussss._

"Oh, it's fine." Gemini assured. "Do you want to stay in your box first?"

 _That would be prefereable, yesssss._

 _Might be one of those novelty toys from_ Gemini placed Orion inside Abigail's box. When she didn't hear him complain, she went back to silently waiting for her friends. Finally, she saw them arrive into small groups and they crammed into the compartment. Once the conductor said they would be leaving in a while, Gemini asked them for one small thing from each of them, which she turned into wine glasses. She opened the wine bottle Professor Slughorn gave her, and the party continued as the train slowly began to pull out of the station.

"Look!" Tamina exclaimed, pointing out of the window. "Say good-bye, guys!"

Gemini turned to look and saw Hogwarts castle over the lake. Even then, it looked as breathtaking as it was when she first arrived. The afternoon was starting to grow cool, and the sun made the castle look like a beacon. She was no longer a child, and was now a witch with so many possibilities. She looked at Abigail, who had a tear welling in her eye as the castle became hidden behind the forest the train passed. The two looked at each other, smiling, their seven years of friendship telling each other what they needed to know. She hugged Abigail, who proceeded to wipe her tears before taking another sip of wine.

 _Goodbye, old friend._ Gemini thought wistfully as the last bits of the castle disappeared behind a veneer of trees.


	5. The Start of the Search

**I just want to give a special mention to Emma C.C.S, who has given a lot of helpful feedback for my fan fiction. She also just wrote a prelude to this story, which is about Lord Voldemort's special assignment for Bellatrix that led to this story. It was honestly very beautiful and deep and if you want to check it out, you can do so here** s/11272519/1/ **enjoy!**

Chapter 4

"Darling, it's the third night you've been staying up late." Astoria said from the threshold of Draco's office. "And I know it's not a work thing so you can just drop the act."

Draco opened his mouth in denial, but stopped and sighed. "What gave me away?"

"You'd never spent so long on the muggle internet, dear." Astoria said bluntly. "And you've been acting rather…off these few weeks. Draco, if it's about your mother…"

"It's not really about her, Tori." Draco promised. "It's just…" _It's just I have a cousin we abandoned when she was short of a year old. It's just that she's the daughter of the most powerful dark wizard of all time. It's just that the guilt has been killing me._

"What?" She sounded worried. She entered the office and stood beside her husband. "You can tell me anything, Draco."

"Anything?" Draco asked. _I shouldn't keep secrets. Not anymore._ If there was one person he could trust,

"I wouldn't love you any less." She bent and kissed the top of his head as she sat on the armrest of his chair.

Draco inhaled, giving Astoria's hand a squeeze before he turned the monitor screen towards her. It was two internet windows on either side of the screen. On one side, there was a website for an orphanage in Kent, and another orphanage in Derbyshire. There were several other tabs on either windows. At once, Astoria stood up. "Draco…" She said cautiously. "Do you have a son or daughter I should know about?"

"No, she's not my daughter." Draco said tautly. "She's my cousin."

Astoria breathed a sigh of relief. "Wait, it's not just Nymphadora Tonks?" She asked. "And if you did have a cousin, shouldn't she be living with the Tonks'?"

"Well…Aunt Andromeda isn't my mother's only sister…"

Astoria narrowed her eyes, trying to comprehend what Draco said. _Narcissa's sister Andromeda only had Nymphadora. So how could…oh no._ " _Merlin's beard!"_ She exclaimed. "You left Bellatrix Lestrange's daughter in an orphanage?! A _muggle_ orphanage?"

It took Draco a few minutes to calm Astoria down, setting her on the nearby sofa. "I can explain, Tori." Draco said as soon as she stopped shouting. "But you have to listen, okay? No questions until I'm done."

"Okay…just go on because I know…it'll be a while before I can…breathe normally again." She said in between breaths. "Just thinking...about a piece of that…woman, still _alive…_ just go."

Draco began. "You see, right after the Battle of Hogwarts, Bellatrix imperiused a Death Eater to deliver her daughter to my mother. I won't go into details, but she had her daughter hidden from the rest of us. Mother decided to send my cousin away because…well, she basically didn't want people reacting the same way you are. We were the only family directly connected to Death Eaters at that time that keeping my cousin would have made us look worse and mother didn't want that."

"So you hid her?" Astoria said slowly. "Oh right, sorry—please continue."

"It's fine. Not really, though. To hide her would be like keeping some sort of connection with her." Draco admitted. "Mother figured that if Gemini—that's her name, or at least, the one she was given—had no idea who she was, she'd grow up without the influence of who her parents were. We went to an orphanage that has a high rate of adopted children, so we figured she'd find a family of her own before she became a toddler, and she'd find out about her witch background like all the other muggleborns. That's it, Astoria."

Draco tried to hold Astoria's hand, but she pulled away. "You're not telling me everything, Draco."

"I just—"

"Who's the father?" Astoria asked quietly, almost ominously in Draco's ears.

"Tori…"

"Who's the father?" She asked louder. "Because I've met the Lestranges when they went to see my father and I know he and Bellatrix would never produce a child together. I don't think they're the type of married couple who would want to shag in between Death Eater meetings. And it was common knowledge Bellatrix didn't even love him. She was only obsessed with blood purifying and You-Know-Who. So tell me Draco, because I know you know: Who is Gemini's father?"

Draco kept quiet for a while, knowing how his wife would react. _No secrets._ "I think you know the answer to that, my dear. You just said it."

It took fifteen minutes to get Astoria to calm down. She screamed and clawed at anything she could get her hands on, and sobbed uncontrollably, muttering about Scorpius and Death Eaters and the return of the Dark Lord. Draco had to run to the kitchens to get her some water and a bottle of firewhisky in hopes of calming her nerves. For once, he was grateful that his office was far from Scorpius' room, who was sleeping soundly. Finally, after she was no longer hysterical and stopped screaming incoherently, but was still shaking that Draco had to help her hold her glass.

"Darling, there's no need to be scared." Draco said soothingly. "Everything is going to be okay."

"Okay? _Okay?_ " She shrieked, tears coming out of her eyes. Finally, she forced herself to take deep breaths and calm down. Her voice was a hoarse whisper, and Draco had to lean in just to hear her. "Draco, I was there. You haven't met me yet—though you knew my sister—but I was in Hogwarts before the Battle started. The Slytherins were taken out of the castle, but I was there when Voldemort first told us to give us Harry Potter. His voice in my head…ugh. And then Pansy Parkinson shouted to take Harry Potter, and I was going to say the same, but the entire Great Hall turned on us and we were taken out of the castle before it began. But you don't know what it was like when You-Know-Who entered my head and filled it with—I can't even… and then I _saw_ what happened. Dementors flooded Hogsmeade. These giant spiders started breaking windows. It was mayhem, Draco, and the others fled in fear. I watched some friends die in the panic! And yet, some sixth and seventh years left the house, declaring themselves for You-Know-Who! I couldn't understand why they'd fight for him when…when…

"If it weren't for Aberforth Dumbledore and Professor Slughorn, I wouldn't have made it as well because it was clear the Slytherin prefects left us on our own. They…"

She was sobbing again, and Draco turned off the monitor and cradled her on the couch, whispering assurances that she was going to be fine. "Tori, Tori— _Astoria, look at me._ " Draco said after almost half an hour of trying to calm her down. "I love you, my darling. I love you and Scorpius so much. Do you think I would ever put you in harm's way just to ease my guilt?"

"Your cousin's father was a monster!" She screamed. "Your—"

"And you don't know if that's true about her!" Draco pointed out. "Just because she's Lord Voldemort's daughter—"

"Don't say his name!" Astoria shrieked. "What about the risks, Draco? Your mother was right to send her away if her father was the most powerful dark wizard of all time!"

"Astoria please just listen to me!" Draco said patiently. He placed his comforting hands on both sides of her face. "We don't know that. The Dark Lord is gone—we have Potter to thank for that. She's his daughter, yes, but let's not forget that I'm the son of a Death Eater, a man raised in blood purity and every insults known to muggleborns and half-breeds, but here I am—and yes I know a Death Eater is not the same as the Dark Lord. Yet here I am, aren't I? I don't curse muggleborns, I cringe when someone says _mudblood_ in front of our son—all because I changed. We shouldn't judge her by a decision that was never hers to make, Tori. Do you know how long I've felt guilty wondering what happened to her? She's just a young girl, and it's killing me to know what fate she's ended up in after my family chose to send her away.

"Please understand that I would never try to put you in harm's way. What I'm doing isn't going to harm you, my love." Draco wiped a tear welling in her eye, before kissing her tenderly on the forehead.

"What are you going to do?" She asked thickly.

"I just need to find her first." He motioned at the computer. "Find which orphanage she's in—"

"Didn't you say you were with your mother when you left her in an orphanage?"

"I did." Draco exhaled. "I went back to the orphanage a few days ago, but they don't have a record of any females named Gemini or any abandoned children on the night we left her."

"So…"

"So mother went back and took her to a different orphanage." He said bitterly. "She's a smart woman, my mother. She knew I would come back one day, and for all I know she probably even changed Gemini's name."

"That means she could be in some orphanage in Scotland. Maybe even Egypt if your mother found an orphanage there." Astoria sat up, wiping the rest of tears from her eyes. "I don't agree with your plans, Draco, but if you promise it won't harm Scorpius or you, then so be it. But the possibilities are endless!"

"Not exactly. Mother wanted to protect me and father, but she didn't want to spit on her sister's death either. She would have transferred Gemini to a decent orphanage so she'd be adopted quickly." Draco turned on the monitor and showed her the two windows. "I've found several good orphanages around England, and knowing my mother, Kent or Essex would have been the nearest she'd allow. I've found one orphanage in Kent that would have fitted her needs, so I'll start there."

"What if you search the entire England and she's not there?" She countered. "What if she's in France or some other country?"

"The last I saw her, Gemini was extremely pale with black hair. Mother wouldn't have placed her in a country that would make her stand out like Egypt or China—she'd raise too much questions." Draco deduced. _That just leaves the United States and at least a dozen other countries in Europe. Thank you, mother._ "If I can't find her in England, France, or Bulgaria, I promise not to go any farther, and I'll assume she's happy where she is. I'll start on that Kent orphanage as soon as I can."

"And if you _do_ find her?"

"If I see she's got a family of her own, I won't try to force myself into her life. In case she's not…well, I don't intend on dropping the bomb on her. As far as she's concerned, she's Gemini Lestrange, Bellatrix and Rodolphus' abandoned daughter and my long-lost cousin—a child of Death Eaters, just like me." Draco promised. "I just don't want to go on with the rest of my life wondering if she's still looking for her family, Tori."

Astoria bit her lip. Just thinking about Draco's cousin was like a battering ram to a dam that kept her painful memories suppressed. She had always appeared calm as befits a Slytherin, even after the battle where she made her parents believe she left the school unscathed, but the Dementors and Death Eaters and spiders and giants had never left her memories, and the thought of You-Know-Who's flesh and blood still alive somewhere—and possibly in the same country—gave her a sense of foreboding that she hoped was just nerves.

Finally, she spoke. "I trust you'll do the right thing, Draco." She hugged him. "And if you need to find her, I'll support you. I don't agree with stirring up dirt, but if you must, then I won't stop you."

"Thank you, my dear." Draco smiled. "It means a lot that you trust me."


	6. First Day at the Ministry

Chapter 5

"Nice choice on the beige top—I picked that, mind you—sexy, but totally professional." Abigail said approvingly, but scowled as she saw him behind her. "Your choice of male partners, however…"

"Give it a break, Abby." Gemini said as she went down the stairs. She felt Teddy's wrap his arm around her waist possessively, trying to pull her in front of him. She could feel his frustration after she rejected him when they woke up. It was her first day of her internship in the Ministry, and though a morning round with Teddy was tempting, she spent the last two hours getting ready, Teddy failing in hiding his frustrations while watching her from her bed.

"I'm not saying I know a guy, but I'm pretty sure fuckboys don't stay for breakfast." Abigail said sardonically, smiling at Teddy. "Oh, and no pets on the furniture, please."

"Ouch, Abby, and I was planning on inviting you to join next time." Teddy said, acting offended. Abby glowered at him and went back to reading Witch Weekly. Gemini nudged his ribs with an elbow, a grin escaping her lips.

"I can't stay anyway, Gem. Grandmother usually starts looking for me around this time." Teddy Lupin pressed his lips fiercely against hers, becoming aroused and sexually frustrated as she playfully bit his lip in response.

"Tonight at eight?" She cooed.

"Can't." He said roughly. "It's date night for me and Victoire."

"Oh." Gemini said indifferently. "So…eight-thirty?"

"Nine." He pulled her in for another kiss, ignoring her protests about her makeup.

"Gem, I'm all for you and wolf-boy here getting horny during full moons," Abigail said tightly. "But for god's sake—"

"He's just leaving." Gemini pulled away, smiling wickedly at Teddy as his hand lingered on her hips longer than he should have. Teddy smirked at Abigail as he crossed the penthouse and out the door.

"Obviously you've never been picky about boys." Abigail said without looking up.

"Obviously you've never tried a wolfish metamorphmagus." Gemini replied, giggling. "At least, not during a full moon when he doesn't have to worry about that Veela."

"You mean, _one-eighth_ Veela." Abigail rolled her eyes. "Swear, it's like I heard her say that every time I passed her in Hogwarts. Don't you get worried though about getting caught?"

"Why, do you plan to tell anyone?" Gemini asked doubtfully. "Because you're the only person who knows about me and Teddy."

"Of course I'd never blab." Abigail snorted. "You're my best friend and if younger cubs with insipid girlfriends are what you're into, then I'd make sure no one knew about it."

"Great." Gemini grinned, turning to the mirror by the stairs to retouch her makeup.

"But on a scale of one to ten, how sure are you he isn't…you know, morphing his dick or something?" Abigail could barely contain her fit of laughter and Gemini joined in.

"Don't tell me you've been thinking about that!" Gemini asked, surprised.

"Don't tell me you _haven't!_ "

"God, Abby, now I'm gonna think about that the whole day!" Gemini groaned. She fixed her lipstick again before stepping back to admire her reflection. "Well?"

Abigail got out of her seat and stood next to her. "You look amazing, Gem!" Abigail said giddily. She also admired her reflection, in a dark green shift dress. "You, interning with the Deputy for the Department of Magical Law Enforcement. And me, assigned to the new Fashion Department in the Muggle Liasion Office. And it's only been like a week since graduation!"

"I know right! You and the office about muggles, who knew?"

"I honestly don't care about the rest of the office—you know that." Abigail rolled her eyes. "But if it means witches and wizards pay me to help them blend in with muggles, then very well!"

"Oh Abby!" Gemini smiled. "I can't wait!"

"Then let's go!" Abigail said happily. "We don't want to be late on our first day! We can just pick up some of that cinnamon buns you like from that muggle shop and—"

"Wait, let me get my bag first." Gemini went back to the stairs. Abigail followed behind, who also was too excited that she forgot her own bag. "And I'll just check on Orion."

"Very well, but let's hurry!" Abigail said as they ran up the stairs.

Gemini went to her room across Abigail's. The penthouse was the tallest building in London and because one whole wall was a giant window, Gemini had a great view of the city. A week ago, she had felt guilty seeing the room Abigail gave her—that was, until she saw Abigail's room (and the rest of the rooms in the penthouse) all had breathtaking views of London. Orion, however, hated heights and would rather stay hidden in his box most of the time.

"Orion, I'm about to leave!" Gemini announced as she entered the room.

 _Good luck on your first day!_ She heard his response from his box. _Do you mind closing the curtains before you leave? I'd rather not see the view when I come out._

Gemini pressed a button on the wall and the curtains slid closed. "Done. You can handle yourself without us, right?"

 _Sure, I'm sure I can find some rats somewhere._

"Good. But word to the wise, muggles tend to act rashly around snakes, so just don't be seen, alright?"

 _Got it._

"Bye!"

Gemini and Abigail passed by Gemini's usual Starbucks place before they went to an abandoned house three blocks away from the penthouse. They went around the alleyway until they found the backdoor, which was unlocked. They entered the dilapidated building, finding the fireplace just by the front door. The two girls found a small sack of dirt on top of the fireplace and took a handful of dirt each. Abigail went in first, and then Gemini stepped in when Abigail and the flames disappeared. "Ministry of Magic!" Gemini said clearly before dropping the sand. The teleportation was a heated warp that changed from green to black to green again, and before she knew it, she was standing in a bigger fireplace, Abigail waiting a few feet away.

"What the hell!" Gemini groaned in frustration as she exited the fireplace and saw herself in the decorative mirror nearby. Her curly hair, which she had taken great pains to keep settled down in a neat ponytail, had become so puffy that it looked like a small, black poodle's head behind hers. The stray hairs near her forehead that couldn't be tied were curling upwards and making her look like a young, female Einstein. She tried brushing the stray ends down, but it seemed like she only made it worse as it curled even more. "What do I do?"

"It's still…salvageable." Abby said with a grimace. "Wait, here…"

Abigail turned Gemini around and pulled the hair tie off, and her hair curled and puffed up even more. She tied the upper half of Gemini's hair in a simple updo before parting her hair from the middle, letting the loose ends fall on the sides. "And…there. It's not the most professional look, but it beats looking like a Dementor victim." Abigail said helpfully.

"Uh, and on my first day!" Gemini whined. She checked her watch. "Let's just go. Professor Slughorn said I'd meet the Deputy Head at level two. Where are you going?"

"Level ten." Abigail replied as they made their way to the elevators. "There's supposed to be a briefing about muggles for new employees in the Muggle Liaison Office, and they're holding it in one of the empty courtrooms."

"Wait, don't you need like a N.E.W.T. in Muggle Studies to work for an office like that?" Gemini asked as soon as they stopped walking and waited by the golden elevator doors. As far as she knew, none of the seventh year Slytherins took Muggle Studies.

"Not if your dad's my dad." She winked. "And I'm gonna dress wizards in muggle clothes. I'm pretty sure you don't learn that in Hogwarts, so yeah."

"How did your dad get you the job?"

"Oh he knows a guy who knows a guy who knows the Deputy and knows that a growing problem in keeping mum about the wizarding world is wizards who don't know how to blend in." Abigail shrugged, but smirked at Gemini's reaction. "Daddy tells me to be a lot more…well…a lot more like you. Like, I like how you hate it when people give you the easy way out and you've gotta work your bottom off before you get something—dad's been telling me to be more like that. But honestly, why should I when I'll be wasting the advantages I have to get ahead? I mean, I love what you're doing, but…"

"I know." Gemini said. "I don't judge, and I kind of agree. If things were different—like, if I was born into a rich family like the Malfoy family—I'd use what I have to get ahead. Maybe do something to make me richer than I was before."

"Exactly!" Abigail said. "Why climb through life with one arm tied behind your back just because others don't have the same strength you do?"

Gemini nodded in agreement. In her seven years in Hogwarts, she learned to forget that she lived in an orphanage in Kent whenever conversations came to subjects like these.

The two elevators dinged, both going on opposite directions. "So, I'll see you in the penthouse later?" Gemini hugged Abigail as they approached opposite elevators.

"See you!" Abigail squealed, hugging her tightly. "Good luck!"

"You too! Try not to fall asleep in the briefing."

Abigail grinned. "I make no promises."

Gemini entered the right elevator, squeezing her way towards the back. Without Abigail to distract her and nothing but the shuffling sounds of paper from the floating papers above her head, Gemini began to feel the butterflies in her stomach, which only seemed to get worse as the floors went higher and higher.

By the time she reached the second floor, it was just her and several paper airplanes which seemed to act like it was showing her the courtesy of exiting the elevator first. The lobby was a circular room with a small fountain—not as large as the one she and Abigail passed down at the atrium—decorated minimally with a rectangular block that served as a pedestal with a floating logo of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement. The lobby led to a long hallway across the elevators that seemed to turn at a corner. There was a male receptionist in black robes behind an imposing-looking desk who smiled welcomingly at her. "Hi, can I help you?"

"Good morning, I'm Gemini Ridley. I'm the new intern for the Deputy." Gemini said politely.

"Yes, we've been expecting you." The receptionist replied eagerly. "I'm Malcolm, the regular receptionist here—welcome!"

There was a loud crash coming from the hallway and two cats ran from the hallway and into the elevator, with a harried-looking man running after them. "Sorry, things are getting pretty hectic around here." Malcolm said, his voice silvery. "Apparently they've been detecting some dark magic around London a few weeks ago. The black market for post-Battle of Hogwarts paraphernalia's still pretty common, so the Deputy thinks a wizard's planning to buy or sell some stuff."

Gemini had heard of the Battle of Hogwarts. It had taken place around the time she was born. When she understood the panic wizards were facing at the time—around her fifth year—she wondered about the possibility that her parents were just young wizards who eloped and regretted their decision to start a family after Lord Voldemort was defeated. "What kind of things?"

"Mostly Death Eater masks, as far as I know." He shrugged. "I don't really know what people could sell as war monuments, especially ones laced in dark magic. So anyway, the Head of the Department commissioned the Deputy to come up with a way to locate dark magic quickly so the Aurors can handle it and be done with it quickly. Kind of like that Project Insight from that Captain America movie last mon—" He stopped and said sheepishly. "Sorry, that's a muggle movie. Muggleborn, you see."

Gemini wanted to assure him that she knew what he was talking about, but she was really excited that she merely nodded. "Right. Well, the Deputy wanted to greet you when you arrived, but as you can see…just sit down for a moment and I'll call her."

Malcolm turned to a portrait of a man behind his desk. "Tell Madame Deputy that Ms. Ridley has arrived." He instructed, and the man nodded. Malcolm turned back to her. "If you could just take a seat for a while, I'm sure the Deputy will be here soon to greet you."

"No, it's fine, I'm here!" A woman stepped out of the hallway and smiled at Gemini. The moment Gemini turned and looked at the woman, she could have sworn she saw a split-second of fear in the Deputy's eyes. _Why does she look afraid?_ The Deputy quickly smiled again, offering her hand. "Hello, Ms. Ridley, it's so nice to finally meet you. I don't like first name bases so I hope you don't mind if I call you Gemini."

Just from her aura and presence in the room, Gemini knew that the woman must be very smart. _A Ravenclaw, perhaps._ Gemini thought. _I hope she's not the annoying Ravenclaw type._ She had a smile that reminded her of the Ravenclaws who tried stealing every recitation and then smiled when you got your answers wrong. That irritated Gemini for years, and she hoped she didn't make a mistake accepting this internship.

Where Gemini's hair was curly, the woman's hair was brown and bushy—a lot worse than Gemini's because her hair wasn't uniformed in curls and flats. But if the Deputy had a bad hair day, it appeared like she didn't notice it—or at least was too smart and busy to care. Gemini nodded. "Great to finally be here." She said as she shook the Deputy's hand.

"I've seen your N.E.W.T. results, and I'm very impressed. Professor Slughorn said you were a brilliant student, so I thought it would be an experience to have you here. Now please, shall we head to my office to discuss?" The Deputy said. "Hermione Granger, by the way—call me Hermione, please."


	7. The Unwanted Orphan

Chapter 6

The St. Jerome Emiliani Orphanage didn't look half-bad. In fact, it looked just like the orphanage that was described on the website. _If mother left her here, maybe Gemini should be okay._

From the gate's entrance, Draco could see muggle children playing in the courtyard, supervised by several staff members in yellow shirts. On one end of the courtyard, there was one staff member playing with a muggle instrument that let out music to some of the older children. The building wasn't like the drab one he visited up north, and actually looked homey. It was a Victorian house made out of bricks with large windows and stairs at the bottom that led to a large entrance. At the top of the steps was a heavyset woman with short graying hair and warm blue eyes.

"You must be Mr. Malfoy." The woman said as Draco greeted her up the steps. She shook his hand. "Jacqueline Hastings. We spoke on the phone. It's not every day we get requests like yours, so how can I help you?"

"It's rather…a sensitive matter, Ms. Hastings." Draco said hesitantly. "I don't suppose we could talk about it in your office?"

"Of course. This way, please." Ms. Hastings said as she opened the doors, motioning him to follow. The orphanage's interior was more modern that the exterior, but was every bit of child-friendly. "We just finished a renovation two months ago." Ms. Hastings said as she caught him looking at the place. They went up a spiral staircase to a mezzanine overlooking the foyer. "St. Jerome was founded just short of fifty years ago, named after the patron saint of orphans…"

But Draco wasn't listening to her anymore. He was thinking about his cousin, and what her life was like if she lived here—assuming his hunch about his mother leaving her here was right. He had no doubt she would have been a pretty rounded-out kid growing up, assuming she wasn't adopted earlier.

"...highest rate of successful adoptions in Kent." Ms. Hastings finished as she reached the top. That caught Draco's attention.

"So all of your children get adopted?"

"Ehh…not exactly." Ms. Hastings finished. "As much as possible, I go out of my way to look for adults seeking to raise or adopt children of their own. Many times, adoption programs are successful, but there are rare cases. Our rate is determined by the government not by the number of kids that get adopted—because that would be unfair to orphanages that have hundreds of children—but by the number of eighteen-year olds we send to the shelter."

"The shelter?" Draco asked, confused. He did not know what a shelter had to do with orphanages.

"Oh, it's like a halfway house, but for unadopted children." Ms. Hastings said. He had no idea what a halfway house was. "Law states that we can't keep eighteen-year olds in orphanages because that makes them adults, not children, and as much as possible the donations from charities and the government should be emphasized on children. When we're short on volunteers, we let the eighteen-year olds stay here as volunteers where they take care of the other kids in exchange for a small salary and housing benefits, but we have a few cases of eighteen year olds that go to shelters to help them move on. From there, there are a lot of options for them to find work and homes of their own. It's rare here in St. Jerome's…but it's possible."

Draco's heart sank at the possibility that that was Gemini's fate. _No, she should be sixteen by now. She'd have two more years before that happens._ "Here we are." Ms. Hastings said as she led him in an office. It looked more like a grandmother's craft room with file cabinets on the side. "Have a seat, Mr. Malfoy. Tea?"

"No thank you." Draco said politely. Ms. Hastings poured herself a cup before she sat down.

"So how can I help you?" Ms. Hastings asked.

Draco started. _Remember your lines,_ he told himself. The night before, he had been rehearsing this story many times, trying to check if there were any flaws to the story. He had never dealt with muggles before, and he made sure he wouldn't do anything that would raise suspicion. "My mother passed away a week ago, and in her will she left my cousin a house in Essex. The only cousin I knew passed away from a…an…an…an—"

"An aneurysm?" Ms. Hastings asked.

"Yes, that." Draco cleared his throat. "Anyway, my mother also left this letter explaining that her other sister—my aunt—had a daughter she gave away because she couldn't handle being a mother, and she was too proud to let her sister take care of the child so she forbade my mother from looking for her. Well, they're both gone now, and I intend to find my cousin so…you know, give her what's hers."

"How noble of you, Mr. Malfoy." Ms. Hastings said. "And your cousin is here?"

"I don't know, actually." Draco scratched his head. "My aunt was in Kent around the time my cousin was supposed to be born. I was hoping to check your children left here around 1998, but if my mother was correct, my cousin was born 1997. Maybe I can recognize her…or something."

Ms. Hastings narrowed her eyes. "And if you don't find her here? You're planning to check _every_ orphanage in Kent?" Draco bit his lip and shrugged. "Well, that's very kind of you. I can help."

Ms. Hastings got up and walked to the file cabinets. "Unfortunately, it might take some time. We arrange our children's files according to birth year, but we sort them into two: adopted and those who are still residing here. We can check both—in case your cousin was adopted already, but it's going to take a lot of time, and I'm afraid I'm quite busy with meetings with potential adopters today…"

"I can do it." Draco smiled hopefully. "I won't mess anything up, I promise."

Ms. Hastings looked at Draco. _Such a nice young man,_ she thought. "Very well. Here's the master key." She handed him a key, but yanked it back. "Oh, and I almost forgot."

Her voice became serious and her face stern. "We have some adopters who adopt babies here and would rather not let their children know about the truth of their adoption." She said slowly. "It's perfectly legal for them to do so, so if you find your cousin in the adopted cabinets but find that it's labeled _Closed Adoption,_ I'm afraid I can't give out her address."

 _I can get it out of you either way, old lady._ "Very well." Draco said calmly. Ms. Hastings gave him the key before she stepped out of the room. The clear sliding window to the balcony was too near that he couldn't use his wand to skim through the files, so he manually opened the first cabinet labelled "ADOPTED. Born October 1996-May 1997". There were dozens of files for children, each with a photo of the child on the year they were adopted, their birth year, and the day they were placed in the orphanage. There were some born on 1998 who were adopted at an early age, some at their late childhood, and some even in their teens. None of them resembled his cousin nor were left on the fourth of May. He opened another cabinet for "June 1997-October 1997", but also got the same results. It had taken him an hour going through the files. The last file cabinet was dedicated only to "November 1997-December 1997" and was packed with files as well, and Draco groaned as he flipped through the rest of the files—none of which had anything he was looking for.

 _If mother left her here, then she wasn't adopted._ Draco thought disappointedly, until a thought came to his mind. _But if I find her file here, then she's somewhere in this building._

Draco looked through the rest of the files for the children born on 1998. Much to his disappointment, none of them were left on the fourth of May. An hour had passed before Ms. Hastings returned to the office, a bunch of papers and a tray of biscuits in hand. "Find what you were looking for?" She asked hopefully. "I brought some biscuits in case it'll take long."

"No." Draco muttered as he closed the cabinet and locked it with the key. "Unfortunately not."

"I could help you find your cousin in Kent." She piped up after setting the tray on the table. "I could call the other orphanages and see if they have a file on her. Do you know when she was left?"

"Ummm…" _I had Gemini in Madrid. She was born the week before that meeting with the Muggle Studies professor in your manor._ "Around the first week of May. But Gemini was born around June, or so my mother's letter said."

"Oka— _Gemini?_ " Ms. Hastings squeaked. "We have a girl named Gemini in this orphanage. Are you her cousin?" Draco could see her tense up. _Have I found her that quickly?_

"That depends. I just know her mother named her Gemini."

"Does your cousin have blonde hair—a bit like yours—blue eyes, and honey-colored skin?" She asked quietly. Draco's heart sank as he shook his head. Ms. Hastings sighed, before she smiled and said, unable to control her excitement:

"Good, because Gemini Ridley here has black hair, brown eyes and skin that never gets a tan."

Draco's heart leapt out of his chest. "That sounds like her mother. But…but why isn't she in the file cabinet?"

"Oh thank God that girl has a family! I knew it! I knew it the day I saw her in that basket!" In excitement, Ms. Hasting's jumped like a schoolgirl. She blushed when she saw Draco staring at her. "Sorry. You see, ever since she turned sixteen, Gemini's sort of been a special project of mine."

She pointed at a box on one of the shelves near the door and Draco walked over to get it down. "Gem's a very nice girl—intelligent, kind-hearted, with just a bit of mischief—and I didn't want her to end up in the shelter. Lately I've been searching for people willing to adopt a girl in her late teens." Ms. Hastings explained. "Just drop the box on the couch. You see, when it comes to adoption, the older you are, the less likely you're going to be adopted—there aren't that many working couples who want children but don't want to deal with tantrums and puberty. I've been trying to find a kind and responsible adult who can take care of her, despite her…er, condition."

"What condition?" Draco asked, huffing as he dropped the heavy box on the couch.

"Well…Gemini…she's…special." Ms. Hastings said cautiously. "And well...when she was a little girl…"

"No one wanted to adopt her?"

"Oh no, no!" She said quickly, pulling one edge of the box's top. "When she was a little girl, a lot of people wanted to adopt her."

She opened the box. Draco found several files bursting with papers and photographs. "It was the keeping part that was difficult." Ms. Hastings said in a brittle voice.

Draco selected the oldest-looking folder, a brown one with dark spots. It was labeled "May 1998". In it was a birth certificate from the muggle Ministry, though under parents the boxes were left blank. There were medical certificates, health records, and other papers Draco scanned through. There was a photo of her as a baby, still in the black dress he faintly remembered. At the back of the folder, there was a small note. He recognized the delicate handwriting immediately.

 _Gemini Ridley, Born June 14, 1997_

 _Please take care of her._

"She was given a name, not all people who abandoned their kids cared about clearing things like that up for us." Ms. Hastings said somberly as she saw Draco's hand shake at the letter. "I figured they wanted the baby to keep the name because the mother might have been planning to come back for the child when they got on their feet. It's not uncommon."

Draco put the file back and picked up another one. It was a report labeled August 19, 2001. There was a clipped photograph of Gemini, her curly hair grown-out and her skin so white it blended with the background.

 _Gemini (4yo) was adopted by Mr. and Mrs. Stark on August 19, who, prior to the adoption, visited her twice._

He skipped the rest of the technicalities he did not understand nor cared about, until he reached the last page of the file.

 _REASON FOR RETURN: Mrs. Stark claims that, after bringing Gemini to their home, unexplainable accidents started occurring. Their animals in their barn would start to disappear, including a retired racehorse owned by Mr. Stark. An infestation of snakes started roaming the house—an event Mrs. Stark would vehemently blame on the four-year old. A room full of fragiles broke. Accidents seemed to happen around the girl's presence that the superstitious couple decided to return the girl two months after their departure, taking Ms. Olivia Daye (5yo) instead._

Draco knew from having Scorpius that young wizards often had powers they couldn't control. _Must have been a lousy house._ He put the file back and randomly selected another one. He skipped to the end once more, only taking a glimpse at a much older-looking Gemini.

 _REASON FOR RETURN: Gemini was blamed for the injury of the Dawsons' son. Children were playing a nearby field when son claims Gemini "showed him how to fly" and ended up breaking both legs. Boy hospitalized for two days. Gemini reported to have been emotionally distant with family._

Draco didn't bother reading the rest and pulled out more files. They were all reports on failed adoptions, and he watched Gemini's picture like an evolution of a girl who began to smile less in photos and whose eyes began to do darker. He looked at all the other reasons.

 _REASON FOR RETURN: Adopters felt like Gemini did not fit in with the family…_

 _REASON FOR RETURN: Gemini allegedly destroyed room filled with glass and valuables…_

 _REASON FOR RETURN: Gemini allegedly pushed their son in the lion's cage in a zoo…_

 _REASON FOR RETURN: Gemini and their children attempted to jump off the roof with umbrellas—Gemini is safe, but the other children…_

 _REASON FOR RETURN: Gemini seemed too sullen and withdrawn for family…_

 _REASON FOR RETURN: Adoptees knew former adopters of Gemini, who convinced them to return her before "something bad happens"._

Draco didn't bother reading the rest of the files because he knew what most of them would say. _This is the life we decided for her._ Draco thought guiltily. _A life of being adopted and rejected by muggle families who couldn't comprehend what kind of child they had adopted. Why did we think this was a good—oh right, to protect ourselves. We've put a little girl through hell all to protect ourselves—and the girl isn't even evil!_

"You see…" Ms. Hastings said awkwardly. "Unexplainable things tend to happen when Gemini's around. I've never taken Gemini for a liar, but there have been many occasions where she's been very honest about things she did. She's so honest that when things happened and she started saying she didn't do it…"

 _Magic,_ Draco thought sourly. "Are all these just adoption reports?" _There must be dozens of files! More files than the cabinet of unadopted children I went through!_

"Oh, not this one." Ms. Hastings pulled out the last folder, which was red. "The adoptions stopped for Gemini after this, mainly because she was only home for less than three months before she had to go back."

The file read "Gemini – Special School". There was a small sheet of paper that explained the folder:

 _Gemini has been invited to go to a special boarding school for people like her. Folder includes info & matters on her school._

"A _special_ school?" Draco asked carefully.

"In Scotland." Ms. Hastings nodded. "They probably heard about her…condition. If you ask me, it's MPD."

"MPD?"

"Multiple Personality. Maybe there's this bad girl side only adopters see." She shrugged. "But Mr. Slughorn assured me she's well taken care of at St. Thomas."

 _Professor Slughorn._ Draco looked at the next page and saw a formal-looking paper about St. Thomas, a school that prided itself on turning special cases into normal, successful students. "It's the end of school season…" Draco started. _This is it._ "I'd like to…I'd like to see her."

Ms. Hastings huffed. "So do I."

"W-what?"

"She was supposed to come home on her birthday. We had a party waiting for her but she didn't return, and she hasn't returned since. I called the school and Professor Slughorn said she's at her friend's house in London, and that she plans to stay there until she turns eighteen."

"And you're okay with it?"

"Well, she's almost not a child anymore." She shrugged. "She's almost eighteen, so I'm sure she's just finding a contingency of her own if I don't…you know."

Draco's heart was beating fast. _This is going to be harder than I thought._

"Are you alright, Mr. Malfoy?" Ms. Hastings waved a hand near his face. "You look nervous."

Draco mumbled something incoherent before thanking the muggle woman quickly and running out the door. He raced down the stairs and jogged out the gate. He bumped into a couple entering, but continued blindly running out the gate and to a deserted alleyway, where he apparated back to his manor.

"Draco, you're back!" Astoria climbed down the stairs and hugged him. "How was the orphanage?"

Draco was speechless. He was closer to finding her, now that he knew for certain that she went to Hogwarts. He was closer to finding her, but now his search could get a lot more public than Draco would like. _People could ask questions,_ Draco thought. _And questions could lead to answers._

He remembered his mother's warning. He found the lead she never wanted him to find, and now he knew that his work was going to get harder, he wondered if he should have just taken her advice. And then he remembered the file case, the folders upon folders of families who adopted and rejected Gemini. And then he remembered the people to blame for her horrible life.

He was sure that wherever Gemini was, she would have left some clues in Hogwarts. Finally, he looked at his wife, his face grim. "I have to go to Hogwarts."


	8. Slytherin vs Gryffindor

Chapter 7

Gemini finally remembered who Hermione Granger was when she passed by Harry Potter along the halls. There was a Battle of Hogwarts week celebration every year around the first week of May, and Professor Binns would commemorate their victory the same way every year: he'd stop droning of whatever it was he was teaching, and instead, he would drone on about the Second Wizarding War. Though his tone never changed, Gemini had always found this lesson the most exciting, albeit discussed boringly. She had only learned of it at the end of her first year, but to the professors and the older students, it was a war they eagerly talked about. Hermione Granger was Harry Potter's friend, the muggleborn who helped him with her intelligence and skill.

Harry greeted Hermione as he passed, giving Gemini a shy smile as he looked at her. His scar was slightly showing and Gemini felt like it was like seeing history upclose.

"Get used to it, Gemini." Hermione said in a bored voice, walking slightly ahead as they entered the waiting room to her office. "Twenty-four years knowing the guy and you just roll your eyes at the fame."

Hermione's office resembled an ordinary muggle office, though with moving portraits on the side. The office was professional, but not intimidating. _Just like her,_ Gemini observed.

"Now I'm just going to ask you a few questions, make sure you're well-suited for the job." Hermione said casually, taking a file. She noticed the look on Gemini's face. "My parents are muggles. I find normal printers and papers easier to organize compared to parchment and quills. I use a bit of both."

"Oh no it's fine," Gemini said quickly. "I grew up in a muggle orphanage. I know what they are."

"You're muggleborn too?" Hermione asked. "That's a rare thing for a Slytherin."

"I'm not muggleborn, I'm…"Gemini immediately regretted saying it out loud to someone who wasn't her Slytherin classmate. "…possibly half-blood."

Hermione had a puzzled look on her face. " _Possibly half-blood_? I thought you grew up in an orphanage."

"Well, at first I thought I was muggleborn—Professor Slughorn said that was most likely—but during my first year at Hogwarts—and I don't wish to brag—I did so well that everyone knew that I couldn't possibly have muggle parents." Gemini explained, immediately wishing she hadn't started the topic as Hermione had a taut expression on her face. There was no easier way to explain her instincts without insulting a successful muggleborn like Hermione. _Oh fuck it, she's a Gryffindor anyway, so she was probably expecting this._

"Well I don't wish to brag," Hermione said loftily, "but I'm muggleborn yet I finished top of my class." She changed her tone, becoming softer. "I'm sorry, I know you're not certain of who your parents are, but I don't think getting perfect N.E.W.T.s correlate to having a magical parent."

Gemini knew the smart thing was to keep quiet and let the topic pass. What she wanted to say, that her instincts were always right and her instincts told her she had a magical parent, sounded stupid enough when said out loud. _But I'm not going to let this_ muggleborn _bring me down._ "Yes, but I heard you were at the top of your classes because you were practically locked in the library." She said innocently. "I, on the other hand, never had to study hard and…well, it came naturally."

 _Obviously a Slytherin,_ Hermione thought, fighting to keep her eyes from rolling. "I don't think intelligence comes naturally…" She started.

"But it did for me." Gemini shrugged, ignoring the palpable tension. Her brain was telling her to shut up, but her heart was determined to stand by her point. She smiled smugly. "I never really had to put a lot of work in studying."

 _Keep it cool, Hermione._ "So you didn't have to _study_?" She sounded more accusing that she would have liked. Gemini nodded. "Well, good for you, then."

Hermione continued the interview with the usual questions. Slowly, she began to see why Professor Slughorn considered her as one of the brightest students he's met. Though she was only seventeen, Gemini Ridley knew more than Hermione liked to admit she knew at that time.

Hermione asked her about laws in the Ministry of Magic. "The law that prohibits wizards from enchanting muggle objects exists, but in it is a loophole that means wizards _can_ enchant muggle objects, but it's perfectly fine as long as they don't use it…"

She tried asking Herbology questions, remembering that Slytherins never did well in Professor Sprout's class. "Yes, a Mandrake's Restorative Draught is powerful, but I believe prevention is better than the cure and a better plant for potion exists. A Wiggentree bark is a lot more useful as it can prevent dark creatures from attacking. A bath or potion of Wiggentree bark essence can theoretically protect you from dark creatures, including inferi and dementors—especially for children too young to perform a patronus. I wanted to check this theory out back in Hogwarts by drinking bark essence and spending the night in the forbidden forest, but Professor Slughorn said no…"

She tried scaring her with the dangers of the job. She recalled dangerous assignments in hunting down potentially harmful wizards. Gemini didn't even flinch or cringe. "I think in worst cases, the best thing to do—if you can't stun the person—is to burn the wand with a simple fire-making spell. It's a first-grade spell—so nothing can go wrong if you're a trained Auror—and there's the fact that it burns the wand so the person you're capturing can't perform spells. The person only gets a minor burn if he holds onto the wand, though, but if Aurors were capturing him, I think burns are the least of his problems…"

Hermione even tried using muggle logic problems to test Gemini's intelligence. "Hmmm…logically speaking, all the people with blue eyes would leave the tribe on the same day equal to the number of people leaving. Assuming the tribe has ten people, each member can see the other nine's eyes but not see their own. If only one person has blue eyes, when the outsider mentions that there is someone with blue eyes in the tribe, the one with blue eyes will see that no one in this tribe has blue eyes, and will deduce that they have blue eyes and will leave on day one. Do you want me to keep going?"

 _She evidently earned her N.E.W.T.s_ , Hermione thought resignedly, as Gemini could talk about any topic she threw at her. Slowly, she begrudgingly began to accept that though Gemini had the arrogance and self-assured smugness nearly every Slytherin she met had, she also saw Gemini's drive to succeed, as well as the fact that she was almost as intelligent as Hermione was. _Almost._

"So you know what you're getting yourself into?" Hermione asked. "Now, internships are paid, but because you have the advantage of seeing which office of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement you best fit in, we expect a lot for our interns, compared to people who apply for job positions. Before I became deputy to this department, I worked for the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures and did some work with house-elves and other creatures. Tell me, Gemini, what do you think of magical creatures?"

"That really depends on what creature you're referring to." Gemini answered. "In general, I thought all of them existed until the last pages of children story books and Greek Mythology."

"So did I!" Hermione agreed. "It was such a shock when I first saw a unicorn. But I'm keener on house-elves; that was what I focused on back in the magical creatures department. What do you think about house-elves?"

"Oh they're okay." Gemini shrugged. "I used to spend summers in one of my friends' homes. Apparently you have to be careful when it comes to giving them laundry tasks, but they're pretty efficient."

Hermione's smile disappeared. "What?" She laughed nervously. "Don't you think house elves are like slaves?"

"Uhh…no." Gemini said unsurely. "They like serving wizards, so why not? When it comes to slavery, the blacks used to be forced against their will. And the family I stayed with pretty much treated their house-elf fairly, albeit without pay…"

"Without pay! Exactly!" Hermione said stressfully. "These house-elves deserve something more but they're too used to being overworked for nothing in return because they don't know any better! It doesn't matter how wizards use or treat their house-elves. If they don't pay, they're enslaving!"

"If you don't mind me saying, that's pretty racist, Hermione." Gemini shot back. Hermione looked as though Gemini had suggested a threeway with a house-elf. "They're _happy_ to work. You assume that our beliefs of slavery and work-for-pay should be their beliefs as well, and you call them uneducated because you can't understand their ways of thinking."

"They're—" Hermione muttered.

"You're as bad as the KKK!" Gemini exclaimed. "That's just really—"

"Did you know that they're using house-elves in Hogwarts? Imagine cleaning that whole castle for nothing in return." Hermione said fiercely. "At least I've tried to help them. Knitted a bunch of clothes so they could be free."

"Exactly. You _tried._ " Gemini snapped. _Screw this internship, this bitch is insane._ "And how did that work out?"

"I-I-that's not the point!" Hermione shouted. "They don't know better!"

"We came from a muggle world." Gemini pointed out. "As far as we know, _you_ don't know better. For all we know, they were made to serve."

The two were glaring at each other. Hermione had half a mind to kick her out of the office. Harry, Ron, and everyone else had made fun or were indifferent to S.P.E.W., but for this girl to have the gall to insult Hermione to her face. _I've interviewed older applicants who were nervous just meeting me, and now this girl is everything I've stood against._ She fumed. _Disrespectful, arrogant, know-it-all dimbo._

But before she could release her anger on Gemini, Hermione inhaled deeply. _Keep calm, Hermione. She's a Slytherin. You knew the risks when Slughorn vouched for a Slug Club Slytherin who was obviously his favorite student. But she's also smart and I see something in her. Intelligent. Ambitious. Driven—by what exactly, though? She has potential, and it's been a while since I've seen someone like her. Huh, maybe I could change her during this internship._

"Agree to disagree?" Hermione asked tightly. Gemini nodded. "Good. Your records speak for themselves, and hopefully in this internship you could learn a thing or two."

Gemini forced a smile. She knew that she had almost lost the internship a minute ago, and she didn't want to test Hermione Granger's strings by talking back. Hermione handed her a paper. "This is your schedule for internship. Your internship is three months. Every week, you work under a different division of the department. This week, you work for the Administrative Registration Department—that's mostly desk work, by the way, and they need all the help they can get right now—and then next week you work for the Auror Office, and then after that the Improper Use of Magic, and then the Wizengamot, and so on…

"After ten weeks, once you're finished interning for each of the offices, you have an extra two weeks to write a report—but you still have to report to me during those two weeks." Hermione continued. "Be careful with this report, because I'll be reading it very carefully. And it will determine two things: one, whether or not you're fitting for this department; and two, which part of the department you'll be working for. So if you do a report on muggle artifacts, you end up in the Misuse of Muggle Artifacts Office, and such—a _nd if Professor Slughorn told you about that time Harry gave him a Bezoar for a poison project and you pull the same trick on me by showing me a muggle dictionary or something, I swear I will hex you._ If I'm not around, you'll be answering to whoever is in charge of the division your in—otherwise send me a paper airplane, I'm sure you've seen those on your way up. Any questions?"

 _A couple hundred, actually._ "None." Gemini said politely. "Thank you, Hermione."

"Very well, then." Hermione smiled. They shook their hands in an unspoken peace between the two. "I'd give you a tour around the department, but I'm really busy and I have a meeting with the Head of the department so I hope you won't mind that my secretary, Amy, will be showing you around."

Hermione pressed a button on her table and a young red-haired woman appeared. "Amy Weasley, my distant relative by marriage." Hermione introduced her to Gemini. "Amy, please show Gemini around. When you're done, send her to the AdReg Department. And then tell Kingsley I might be late for our meeting—actually, please do that before you give the tour."

She turned to Gemini and smiled. "I wish you luck on your internship, Gemini." Hermione said welcomingly. "See you around!"

"Thanks, Hermione. You won't regret this!" Gemini promised as she backed out the door. "See you!"

Hermione sighed, massaging her head as she heard Amy make a quick call to level one before giving Gemini a tour of the department. Seconds later, she heard a soft tap at the door. She was insanely tired, starting out her day with a plethora of problems that stemmed from an even bigger number of issues. The head of the department, Seraphina Vance, was never the one to delegate her work to Hermione, so the fact that Hermione had a lot to deal with only meant that there had been a lot of work to be done lately. Hermione wondered if Gemini could adapt to help the department out. _And soon,_ Hermione thought hopefully.

She looked up from her desk and saw a bush of red hair pop from her door, and at first she thought it was Amy. Her blurry vision got better and she saw it wasn't Amy. "Rough day?" Ron asked.

"And it's just what, nine in the morning?" Hermione groaned. "I have so much to do!"

"I'll say, and the screaming match was just the beginning of it." His voice sounded garbled, and she looked up to see his mouth was stuffed with chocolate.

"You heard that?" She asked, continuing to massage her head. She wasn't sure if Ron nodded or he was trying to find a way to stuff the rest of the chocolate in his hand into his mouth. "The new intern. Slughorn's suggestion. A Slytherin, so obviously we didn't see eye-to-eye."

"Yep, saw her a minute ago with Cousin Amy." Ron said before he swallowed. "Kind of reminds me of Sirius. You think she's a Black?"

"I'm pretty sure everyone's a Black one way or another at this point." Hermione smiled at her own joke. "Even I became somehow related to the Black family when I married you."

"Oh, you know what I mean." Ron grinned. His smile disappeared, however, and he looked at his wife. "You gonna be fine, Hermione?"

Hermione looked up and smiled. "I'm fine, Ron. I've got a meeting with Kingsley in a while so if you don't mind, I'd just like to get a few minutes rest."

"Sure thing, love." Ron waved from the door. "I'll see you later."

She heard Ron leave the waiting room before she allowed herself to rest her head on the table, fighting back the panic attack that had been coming. She felt the tears well in her eyes, and part of her felt stupid that she was even crying. _It's nothing,_ she assured herself. _Everything should be fine now. It's just a coincidence, nothing more._ But then she remembered that night, and she felt the tears well up again. _She reminds me so much of her, especially when she looked angry._

Ron was right: Gemini Ridley could easily pass for a Black with her black hair, dark eyes, as well as the fact that she was beautiful in that elegant way the Blacks always looked. But it wasn't Sirius Hermione was thinking about. Hermione was thinking about that night in Malfoy Manor, before Dobby was killed, before Griphook was slashed in the face. She remembered nothing. She remembered everything.

She turned her left arm slowly until she could see her forearm. Hermione knew many spells to fix skin blemishes, but every time she pointed her wand at it, she could remember that night at Malfoy Manor and her emotions would run too high that she would not trust herself to perform the spell correctly. She did not have it in her to ask someone else to remove it either. She traced a light finger around the eight-letter word carved onto her skin, the scars refusing to heal after nearly seventeen years—a constant reminder of what she was that nearly cost her her life, a decision she never got to make but was targeted otherwise: _MUDBLOOD._

 _Stupid,_ she thought to herself scornfully as she wiped the tears. She tried to laugh at her folly. _Gemini's a Slytherin, yes, and that unruly hair of hers makes her resemble…yes. But obviously she's not Bellatrix Lestrange. Of course not. She's dead. She got what she deserved. And you shouldn't let her win by getting a panic attack every time you see a girl with messy, curly hair._ She sniffed the tears away and forced a smile. _Things are okay now. You shouldn't be scared of that girl. She's harmless. And maybe this is a sign that I have to move on. I shouldn't hold it against her that she sort of resembles her. No,_ she thought, sighing before standing up to head to the elevators. _I shouldn't. She's dead._


	9. A Visit to Hogwarts

Chapter 8

In the summer, Hogsmeade was eerily quiet. When he was young, Draco remembered the village being crowded with third years and older students during their weekend visits. Despite seventeen years passed, Hogsmeade never lost its picturesque charm amidst the wear and tear of time. But during the summer, the Three Broomsticks was practically the only establishment on the high street that was still opened. Draco was grateful that it was opened (and that Madam Rosmerta begrudgingly forgave his Imperius Curse back in his sixth year) because the Hogwarts Express—the only way for a wizard to get past Hogsmeade's concealment charm if they weren't student, staff, or a resident of Hogsmeade—had already left, and wouldn't be back until the next morning, when it came to pick up a few staff members who planned to spend their summer in London.

After drinking a shot of firewhisky, Draco thanked Madam Rosmerta before apparating to the gates of Hogwarts, not wanting to deal with the silent stares of the older villagers who knew him. He appeared just a few yards away from the school gate, where the boundary to the apparition started. And right on time, Professor— _Headmaster,_ Draco reminded himself—Flitwick was waiting beside the gate.

"Welcome, Draco." Headmaster Flitwick said politely. "I trust your journey to Hogwarts has been no trouble?"

Draco remembered the uneasy glances from a few wizards he passed as soon as he entered Hogsmeade, and how he pretended not to notice them. "Not at all, Headmaster." Draco said. Headmaster Flitwick lead him to the carriages. He remembered that those carriages were never attached to anything, so he wondered why there were odd-looking horses at the end. He didn't want to ask. "Thank you for seeing me today."

"It's no trouble, Draco." Headmaster Flitwick said as they sat in the carriage. "Let's head to my office to talk."

Draco smiled and nodded, and they made the rest of their trip in silence, apart from the occasional attempts at conversation about their daily activities. The castle was absolutely quiet that it was almost eerie. It was filled with so much memories, and Draco was glad to see that nothing was changed in the 1998 Renovations following the war, and it still looked it's old, untouched self. _Or if it wasn't ravaged in the first place,_ he thought guiltily. He never returned to Hogwarts after that fateful day.

They made it to the Headmaster's Office, and Draco refused when he was offered tea. Headmaster Flitwick sat behind the desk in a chair that made him appear as tall as Draco's sitting height. He opened his mouth to speak. "So—"

"Ah, my great-great-great-grand-nephew, Draco Malfoy!" Draco jumped in his seat and looked up the mezzanine behind Headmaster Flitwick, but he relaxed when he recognized the painting, his distant relative, Phineas Nigellus Black. "The house-elf Kreacher has told me about you."

"Hush, Headmaster!" Headmaster Flitwick chastised the painting. He turned to Draco. "So, what brings you to Hogwarts, Draco?"

"Well, it's about the donations…" Draco said hesitantly. The Malfoy family had been a big donor of galleons to the school for the past seventeen years, with Draco constantly making sure that the school would receive it. In public, Draco let everyone believe that he was doing this as a means to make up for being at the wrong side in the Second Wizarding War, one way the Malfoys could afford to save face. In private, only his parents knew what those donations meant to him.

After the Malfoys left Gemini in the orphanage, Draco knew that there was a big chance she would remain in England and would eventually find herself at Hogwarts, and he also knew there was a chance she would still be an orphan by the time she turned eleven. He didn't care that there was a chance that she would be adopted by foreign parents and would be contacted by other wizard schools in other countries or the possibility that she would turn out to be a harmless squib, but so as long as the biggest probability that Gemini was going to end up in Hogwarts, Draco wanted to help her as much as he could in case she was still an orphan.

Annually, Draco donated exorbitant amounts of galleons in the hopes that Gemini wouldn't have to go through Hogwarts with second-hand robes and worn-out books. He even convinced some of his and Astoria's friends to donate to their school. Gemini was a Black, a Gaunt, and a cousin of a Malfoy, and Draco couldn't live with himself if she was sorted into Slytherin (where he was absolutely certain she'd end up in, considering she was a Slytherin by blood) and left her to suffer in a house filled with wealthy wizards who would do to her what Draco did to the Weasley children.

But like with the orphanage, he spent a week brainstorming, practicing, and revising his story. He had to make sure no one knew he was looking for Gemini, and he hoped this daring plan wouldn't fail like many others. _Careful…_ "Hogwarts appreciates the Malfoy family's annual donations to the school, and it has helped a lot." The headmaster started.

"Yes, well I've heard from a certain…reliable source that the teachers' salaries have been increased without the board of governors' knowledge." Draco said with a hint of accusation. He had become a shrewd player in wizarding business under his father's tutelage, and though Draco did not particularly like acting like his old arrogant-schoolyard-bully persona, it was part of his plan that he acted just as haughtily and snootily. He hated that he sounded just like his father. "And I'd like to know if the academy has been abusing our donations for your own personal gain."

"What?" Headmaster Flitwick's eyes doubled in size. "Certainly not!" He said indignantly. "The donations _and_ the school budget go to me, and every change in the administration has never been put into effect without the board of governors' approval."

"Unless…you didn't bother telling the board." Malfoy pursed his lips. "And it's such a shame I'm threatened to pull out my family's donations considering the instability I've been hearing about the school's finances—especially donations from all the families, and not just mine."

"I assure you, Mr. Malfoy," Headmaster Flitwick said tautly, "there are no causes for alarm. Now, you are not required to make any more donations as you see fit—"

"And as an alarmed patron, I might even have to notify the other donors…" Draco let that linger in the room. Headmaster Flitwick looked like he was struggling to hide his annoyance. Headmaster Flitwick kept calm and gave Draco a reassuring smile, though slightly forced.

"There is no reason to alarm the others, for there is no mismanaging of funds, Mr.—eh, Draco." Headmaster Flitwick said with finality.

"I want to believe that, sir, which is why I came to visit." Draco said. In business, his father called it _reeling them in._ "If you could provide me with some proof—a table that shows where the money goes, or any information regarding this rumor at all, that would be helpful, and I wouldn't have to ask around about this matter…"

"I—" Headmaster Flitwick caught himself on time. "Well…if you put it that way. Mr. Filch deals with the documentation of those matters of the school. I suppose I could show you where the money goes."

"Good." Draco said smugly. "I'll have the papers now, please. I don't intend on going back and forth from Wiltshire to…here."

He said the last word like it were a disease. He was internally loathing himself, but it achieved the right results. Headmaster Flitwick stood up uneasily. "Very well. If you'll come with me to the caretaker's office…"

"Actually, I'd rather wait here." Draco said, lazily leaning back on the chair as if he owned the room. _God, I was an insufferable git,_ He said to himself.

The headmaster wordlessly looked at Draco before nodding. "Very well, just a while." He grimaced before making his way out of the office. Draco anxiously waited until the sounds of Headmaster Flitwick's footsteps disappeared. _Good news, the caretaker's office is all the way across the castle._ Draco thought positively. He looked around the room, his confidence disappearing as his plan went into motion. _Bad news, I have no idea where to begin looking._

The circular room was surrounded with books, cabinets, and portraits. Draco didn't know where to look. He opened the nearest cabinet, but all the papers there had letters he couldn't understand. He opened the next one, but it was mostly papers about the Deathly Hallows. The room was filled with possibly a hundred more cabinets—including the ones in the mezzanine—and he couldn't possibly go through every cabinet before Headmaster Flitwick came back.

"I say, what are you doing, Draco?" Draco looked up to see the other headmasters looking at him. He recognized Professor McGonagall and Snape nearby. Phineas was smiling knowingly. "Is this a sabotage attempt? I'll promise to keep mum."

Draco shushed him before frantically opening and closing the next ten cabinets. _Still nothing!_ He thought, frustrated. _This is harder than I thought…_

And then he came face-to-face with him. It was just a portrait, but it was enough to make Draco stop. It looked just like him that night…the night he died.

"Professor Dumbledore." Draco said solemnly. Unlike Phineas Nigellus Black's portrait, Dumbledore didn't talk to him, but merely smiled and nodded. He had that look in his smile as if to ask " _Draco, what are you doing?_ " despite looking like he already knew the answer to that. Dumbledore smiled as though he knew what Draco was looking for, as well as _who_ Draco was looking for. He felt his eyes get moist, but Draco squinted and wiped them away.

"I…I'm sorry." Draco said uneasily. "I'm sorry for…you tried to save my family, but…I'm sorry."

Dumbledore nodded kindly, as if motioning for him to continue. "Please…" Draco said weakly, feeling his knees buckle under his stare. "I need to do this. I need to find…I have to."

Draco remembered the night in the tower, when he was this close to killing one of the most powerful wizards of all time. _I've got to do it! He'll kill me! He'll kill me whole family._ And though Dumbledore said nothing but smile knowingly, Draco realized why he had been doing this. Why he would risk his already-risky position in wizarding society for someone who was just his cousin: Draco loved his family, anyone who was family, and he was the closest thing Gemini had to family. And he had to make sure she was okay, let her know that she wasn't alone.

As if he were reading his mind, Dumbledore pointed at a cabinet below his portrait. Draco hesitantly opened the cabinet, and his heart soared as he found files for first year students. He thanked Dumbledore before he opened nearby cabinets until he found the seventh year files. Draco quickly looked at the back of the files, finding the R's of the year level.

 _Renfield…_

 _Reyne…_

 _Rice…_

Draco went to the next file.

 _Samuels, Liam._

He was so confused. _I know the lady meant she went to Hogwarts! She said Slughorn was there. Where is she?_

Before he could look further, he heard a pop near the stairs. He had forgotten that Headmasters could apparate in Hogwarts, and Headmaster Flitwick was returning. Defeated, Draco quickly closed the cabinets and went back to his seat. He didn't want to give Flitwick any suspicion for his arrival, and so reverted back to his bad-boy persona.

"Here it is!" Flitwick announced as he entered. "Here are the papers!"

He handed it to Draco with a slightly hard hand. Draco pretended to look at the papers, nodding in approval. He only cared about the galleons being put into funds for orphan wizards. The funds were good enough that he knew Gemini would have gotten good supplies from Diagon Alley. When he was satisfied, he looked back. "Right. I'm sorry for any misunderstandings on my part." Draco said amicably, though he sounded like he wasn't sorry. "It would seem that everything is in order so…"

He handed Headmaster Flitwick a small sheet of parchment. "Here is this year's donation, courtesy of the Malfoy family. The apothecary's doing quite well this year, so I hope you don't mind just claiming it from Gringotts. I'm afraid the donation's too big this year that I'm afraid of personally bringing it here."

"Er…no, that's quiet alright." Headmaster Flitwick said as he took back the files and the parchment. "The school thanks you and your family for your generosity. If there's anything else…"

"Actually..." Draco said slowly. "The Hogwarts Express doesn't come 'till tomorrow and I'm staying in the Three Broomsticks right now. Do you mind if I wander the castle a bit?"

"Go ahead." Headmaster Flitwick said kindly. "Just avoid the Forbidden Forest and all—you know the drill."

"I won't be long, just going to…well, reminisce." Draco nodded, and Headmaster Flitwick nodded. They shook hands and within minutes Draco exited the headmaster's tower.

Draco wandered around the corridors, hoping that a wander around would help him something. But as he walked the long corridors of the castle, he kept wondering what he hoped to find that would bring him closer to finding Gemini. He was extremely confused, wondering why she wasn't on the files of seventh years. He was at a dead-end. Deciding it was better to wander the nearly-empty castle than to return to the stares of the villagers of Hogsmeade, Draco went around the castle.

He went to the dungeons, but unfortunately didn't know the password to the wall and couldn't enter the common rooms. He took a shortcut to the Quidditch playing field, and then back to the Great Hall. The four long tables were pushed to the sides, and a small rectangular table remained below the dais of the table reserved for the teaching staff. He passed by a few teaching staff, some he didn't know, some old professors, and his former classmate, Neville Longbottom, the new Herbology professor. Draco found out that Neville had a family of his own—with a son older than his Scorpius—and Neville too was taking the train to London tomorrow. Draco was glad that they were on speaking terms, and they spoke politely before parting ways.

Draco avoided the Room of Requirement and the Astronomy Tower, memories he did not want to remember. He found himself wandering to the third floor of the castle, and amidst the silence, almost leapt at the familiar sound of Filch's cursing, followed by a close of a door. He passed by Filch cradling a graying Mrs. Norris along the hall.

"If 'yer wandering around, don't be touching 'te new display in 'te trophy room." Filch grunted. "I just got it set up—so no smudging!"

Draco nodded curtly before walking onwards. He saw the doors to the trophy room, and deciding he had a lot of time, entered.

The trophy room seemed to have gotten bigger and filled with more glass cases in the last seventeen years. He looked at the displays nearest to the door, and it was obvious which one was the newest display, as it was the shiniest. In the latest case, Draco felt a little pride in seeing that most of the awards were tinted green and had an entire shelf dedicated to Slytherin awards. He could see that the Slytherins had won the House Cup and the Inter-House Quidditch Cup. He looked closer and saw smaller cups, medals, and awards on the sides. There were two funny-looking awards he didn't recognize. Draco leaned forward, ignoring Filch's "request" not to smudge the glass.

Then Draco saw it, the engravings on the small medal, and he was more confused than ever.

 _THIS MEDAL FOR MAGICAL MERIT IS AWARDED TO MS. GEMINI RIDLEY FOR HER EXEMPLARY SKILLS AND EARNING NINE OUTSTANDING N.E.W.T.s_

 _Gemini_ did _go to this school!_ Draco thought hopefully. _But why…_

By instinct, he looked at the other awards. Sure enough, most of the awards had her name on it.

 _T HE HOGWARTS AWARDS FOR SERVICES TO THE SCHOOL IS AWARDED TO GEMINI RIDLEY FOR HER COURAGEOUS EFFORTS DURING THE POTIONS CLASS ACCIDENT OF 2011_

 _BEST SLYTHERIN STUDENT OF 2014 – GEMINI RIDLEY_

 _STUDENT OF THE YEAR 2014 – GEMINI RIDLEY_

 _BEST IN POTIONS, CHARMS, DEFENSE AGAINST THE DARK ARTS, HERBOLOGY, ALCHEMY, TRANSFIGURATION, & ARITHMANCY – GEMINI RIDLEY_

Draco was struggling to process what he knew. _She goes to Hogwarts, but her name is not in the file…_ Draco thought. An idea lit up in his head. _Her name was not on the files of_ seventh years. _Maybe…oh, unless…_

He looked deeper into the case, saw it, and when he saw Gemini's name wasn't there, he went to the display for the previous year. Sure enough, he found what he was looking for: a plaque for all the prefects of that year. Gemini was an extremely smart girl, based on the last case, and with Slughorn as the Head of Houses, it was obvious he would have chosen her as Prefect. _And prefects have to be at least fifth years._ Hoping his theory wasn't correct and he did not just waste a lot of time, Draco went to the case for the year before that and checked the same plaque. Sure enough, it was there: the 2012 plaque with her name on the list of prefects.

He bit his lip as he counted very slowly with his fingers. _She was a prefect in 2012 and 2013, but not this year…_ He computed again, then again, then once more until he accepted the possibility that he had miscalculated weeks ago, and he was off on her birthday by a year. Draco looked at the two latest cases. _If she was this good of a student,_ Draco deduced, _then surely this year…_

It was renovated the last time he saw it. Instead of a simple wall lined with names, there were small, oval portraits of them next to flat, golden rectangles embossed with names. _The Head Boy and Head Girl Wall._ Draco thought. He went to the end of the wall until he saw what he was looking for: an oval photo of a pale girl with curly, black hair, and a smug, knowing smile that made him feel like she knew his deepest secret—and ironically, she was his own deepest secret. Next to it, Gemini's name was embossed, and Draco knew that while he was one step closer to finding Gemini, the possibilities of where she could be had almost multiplied a hundredfold.

 _Only seventh years can be Head Boys and Girls,_ Draco remembered. _And if she was done with her seventh year…_ Ms. Hastings was wrong. Gemini wasn't spending the summer with friends, she was a grown witch now, working somewhere in the wizarding world.

 _But where?_ Draco grunted in frustration. _When she was a student, the plan was simple!_ The moment he confirmed that Gemini was an incoming seventh year, he planned to wait for September until she was in school before making up an excuse to be in Hogsmeade during the weekends until he found her. _But now…she's an adult now—damn! She could be in England or France or Romania—or even hunting some Chinese Dragon in Beijing by now!_

Draco also knew that it wasn't going to be a private thing if Gemini wasn't in Hogwarts anymore. He would have to ask questions from other people to track her down, and he dreaded other people asking who it was he was looking for. And Gemini was a smart girl; she could get a job anywhere she wanted to, and Draco had no idea what that job would be. His heart sank.

 _Too many options, too many possibilities._ Draco decided with a heavy heart. He looked at the portrait. It was the most recent photo of her, and she was becoming a very stunning girl. She reminded Draco of his Aunt Bellatrix with her curly hair, dark eyes, and good looks, but he was relieved that she didn't totally resemble her mother. He noticed the necklace on her—the one Bellatrix used to wear—and he was relieved no one had made the connection yet.

He sighed as he looked at Gemini's portrait, who looked back and smiled knowingly. _Do you even know who I am?_ He thought. _I'm your cousin. I'm family. And I'm sorry but I promised Astoria that I'd know when to stop this search—and it's now. There are too many possibilities, too many options where to look, and I'm afraid I can't spend the rest of my life looking for you, dear cousin._

Draco sighed. In response, Gemini tilted her head and smirked. Draco smiled back. _You look happy, though. From what I've seen, you're a smart girl and if I don't find you, I think you'll be able to find happiness on your own. I'm sorry I can't go any further to find you. I'll miss you, Gemini, and I'm sorry. Good-bye._


	10. The Aurors Office

Chapter 9

Gemini knocked on the Head of the Auror Office's door. Last week, her work at the Administrative Registration was extremely boring, sorting out registry files that a loose poltergeist from the Spirit Division knocked over. She was sure as hell that that division was not for her, and the moment her internship for the AdReg division ended, she made a mental note not to write a report on the Muggle-born Registration Commission or anything that would give Hermione Granger the idea that she liked it there.

But even before her internship in the Auror's Office began, she knew it was going to be interesting. Last Saturday, she received an owl from Harry Potter's secretary, who instructed her to dress casually and dress for comfort, not style, as the workplace didn't really dress to impress due to their active nature. For her first day, she chose to wear black jeans and a gray top, leaving her necklace at home since it clashed with the gray. Simple, but still decent enough in an office. _Thanks, Abby._

"Come in!" She heard Harry call out. His room was similar to Hermione's, though it looked more fun as it was scattered with muggle Nerf Guns and toys from Zonko's and Weasley's Wizard Wheezes. There was an intimidating presence about Harry—there was something about seeing "The Boy Who Lived" in person—but at the same time he looked just like any mid-thirties dad that would smile at children when he passed by. He was seated behind his desk, smiling welcomingly as she entered. "Hi, Gemini. We've met before, haven't we? Have a seat."

Gemini shook his hand first before sitting. "Er, I must say…good job on N.E.W.T.s." Harry started. He scratched his head and smiled unsurely. "I'm not entirely sure what I'm supposed to do with an intern, to be honest. I lived in the muggle world when I was young—and based on your file, you know a bit about the muggle world too—and I don't want to be that type of boss who puts interns in-charge of coffee runs and dry-cleaning pickups."

Gemini knew what an Auror was, but even she didn't know how she was supposed to intern for an office like the Auror Office. "I could…help your secretary with the stuff she needs to do." She said, but Harry shook his head.

"Yes, but you're not interning to be a secretary, are you?" Harry pointed out. "If I do that, it'll kinda be like delegating you to do something else, and you wouldn't really learn much about what Aurors do. But on the other hand, Aurors have pretty dangerous jobs…"

"How dangerous?" Gemini asked. She realized how dumb the question was, seeing as an Auror's main job was to hunt down anything related to the Dark Arts. She coughed before rewording her question. "I mean…what does it take to become an Auror?"

"Well, the job qualifications are pretty high." Harry admitted. "There was once a time when I was in Hogwarts that there was a big debate whether or not I could even apply to be an Auror. You have the N.E.W.T.s, given, but it takes more than brains to become an Auror—"

"If you don't mind me asking…" Gemini started, and Harry nodded at her to continue. "Professor Binns said you never finished your seventh year, so…"

"How did I become an Auror without taking N.E.W.T.s?" Harry finished for her. "After the Second Wizarding War, Minister Shacklebolt faced a dilemma in the Auror Office because most of the Aurors perished in the war. He allowed some of us in Dumbledore's Army to join Auror training if we wanted, seeing as we've already proven ourselves in the battle."

"Oh…" Gemini said. "Then what's Auror training?"

"That's where it gets harder." Harry explained. "It takes about three years, and you'd better not have any criminal record during that time. During those three years, we learn a lot of things, really: from concealments, to advanced memory charms, to poisons, and even how to detect traces of Dark Magic. I'm sure your Professors have taught you what you needed to know about Dark Magic, right?

"After you become an Auror, it's basically your job to hunt down anything Dark that could be harmful, especially Dark Wizards. That's the basics, but in truth it's actually more complicated than that."

"Is that why places like Borgin and Burkes exist?" Gemini asked.

"Ehhh…yes, and no." Harry said slowly. "Just because something has traces of Dark Magic, doesn't mean it's evil. When it comes to Borgin and Burkes…well, we keep heavy surveillance on them. Technically speaking, they're an antique shop, so we can't arrest them for having a shop laden with Dark Magic—biggest loophole in wizarding history, if you ask me. Once it's been used _against_ another wizard or muggle, that's when things become different. That's when it becomes dangerous."

Gemini sat wordlessly. She noticed Harry was debating on something in his head. "Why don't you shadow me?" Harry finally decided. "You can follow me, see what I do in my job, and from time to time I'll let you do some Auror work I think you can do—obviously not coffee runs. Is that fine?"

Before Gemini could say yes, the door opened and Ron Weasley was striding quickly to Harry's desk. "We've got a problem with that artifact we're tracking. Guess where—oh hey, you!" Ron greeted Gemini as he passed her. "How's it going?"

"Gemini's going to be shadowing me this week." Harry said, but he looked at Ron seriously. "You've found it?"

"Yeah." Ron showed Harry a map. Gemini couldn't see what they were looking at, but she was listening intently. "Remember when we tracked the trace here? Well, guess where it passed?"

"On that giant X leading to where we first traced it?" Harry asked dryly. "Wait…that's Knockturn Alley. Don't tell that it's—"

"Borgin and Burkes." Ron said with an edge in his voice. "I'm telling you Harry, we should just take down that shop if it weren't for that damned loophole they threw at us."

Harry grunted. "So it's in there?"

Ron shook his head. "That's the thing. I was keeping tabs on it with Jones since last night." He raised the map and stood behind it, and Gemini could see what he was talking about. It was a large black and white map of London, and next to the black X, there were red dots all over the street it was in. One of the places on that street, however, was filled with so many dots that it almost looked like a red smudge. Gemini stood up and stood at the other side of the desk, curious to see what it was about.

"These red ones are artifacts with traces of dark magic." Ron explained to Gemini. "We'd clear them all, but those Knockturn blokes are a cheeky lot, finding ways to keep their stuff." He pointed at the large red area. "This here's Borgin and Burkes. They get to keep their artifacts because they say they're an antique store, and we're not allowed to take their merchandise because they're a legitimate business— _or so they say._ Anyway, last night Jones said the artifact, that appeared somewhere here—" Ron pointed at where a circle was drawn far away from Borgin and Burkes. "—made its way to the shop. This is where things get dodgy…because it's so red, I don't know if what they brought is still there or not, because there was a red dot that left the store and apparated away. So not only do we not know what this dark thing is, but I don't even know if we've just lost it!"

"Someone could have bought it…" Harry thought.

"We should have just gotten someone to replicate the Marauder's Map on London, Harry." Ron said. "Are you sure it's not in your office?"

"You think I wouldn't have tried making a London-version of the Marauders' Map if I couldn't find it? I swear I left it in my drawer until…" Harry stopped and realized Gemini was still in the room. "What do you think Gemini?"

"Um…uh…" Gemini stood, speechless at Harry and Ron's gaze. "Think about what?"

Harry started. "Well, we have two problems—and deducing is part of being an Auror so it's okay to be wrong—first: what is it exactly that it just happened to pop up in London all of a sudden; and two: is what we're tracking still there?"

"And three:" Gemini added, "If it's not, who could have taken it, and why?"

"That's good thinking there, Gem." Ron said supportively. "What do you think?"

It was as if everything clicked for her. It was as if, inside her mind, there was a network of stems that just seemed to know what to do. Every possibility seemed to pop in her mind, every possible answer to the situation—from the most obvious to the most ludicrous—and slowly, she could narrow it down to some of the most likely answers. Finally, she realized what the best answers were.

"What if it's a memento?" Gemini asked. Harry looked at her questioningly, motioning her to continue. "Well, based on what I learned from Professor Binns, a lot important things happened during the Second Wizarding War around this quarter of the year: The Battle at Hogwarts, The Battle at the Department of Mysteries, Battle at the Astronomy Tower—all that, ya' know?"

"We know—I think we were there." Ron said jokingly.

Gemini's face reddened as she remembered that she was talking to two men who had personally fought and led the war against Lord Voldemort. "Anyway, around this time, maybe someone—a collector, maybe—was looking for Dark mementos. Maybe he or she wanted something that only Borgin and Burkes could get for them?" She shrugged. "Just my opinion."

"And it's not a bad one for an intern." Ron said, smiling at her. He turned to Harry. "That's actually not a bad guess. The thing is, we have so much to go at…"

Harry looked at the map, his eyes furrowing. "As for whether or not it's there...you know, maybe we should go take a trip to Knockturn Alley, see if we can find anything helpful."

"Excellent." Ron said as he rolled the map. "You can apparate, right Gemini?"

"I—"

"What do you mean " _Can you apparate?"_ Harry shot. "Ron, she's not going with us! This could be dangerous!"

"Why?" Ron asked quizzically. "It's just a look-around…"

"She's just a kid! Closer to Teddy's age than ours!" Harry said. Gemini stifled a smile at Teddy's name.

"She's _exactly_ our age when we fought at Hogwarts." Ron pointed out. "And she's not a kid, Harry. Come on, it's just a look-around, nothing dangerous. I promise, if we have to do anything dangerous I'll send her to George's shop to wait before we do anything."

Harry pursed his lips, weighing in his decision. He struggled with the muggle-based belief that Gemini was still seventeen and not an adult and the wizarding norm that she already was an adult. He wondered if he sounded like all the adults who told him he was too young for things, and sighed. He wondered if he was going to be this difficult when James turned seventeen.

"You know how to look around right?" Harry asked. Gemini nodded eagerly. "And stay away from anything dangerous. And—"

"I think she gets the idea." Ron grinned. He and Harry shared a high-five. "Good. This'll be one hell of a last mission. We can't apparate in the Ministry so we'll have to get out first, Gem—can I call you Gem? Good. Let's go."

The three of them walked to the door and down to the elevators. "Last mission?" Gemini asked Ron while waiting.

"I promised Kingsley I'd do this for him, then I'm resigning. Off to work with George in Weasley's Wizard Wheezes—above of which is the apartment you'll have to go into if anything goes wrong today. Alright?"

"Sure."

"So…what do you think about the Auror Office so far?" Harry asked.

"It's very…interesting." Gemini said. "A far cry from the Administrative Registration. I was sorting papers in the storage room for a week thanks to some poltergeist making a short detour two floors above the Spirit Division office."

"What do you do after this?"

"After this, I head to the Improper Use of Magic Office."

"Maybe if they're as cool as us, you could get to go on the field and put memory charms on muggles." Ron chimed in.

"Well, it beats paperwork." Gemini laughed. "After this, I rotate to all the other divisions of the department and then Hermione's giving me two weeks to write a report to show which division I'd be best suited for."

"Well, if you're planning to be an Auror, a report on anything related to Dark Magic is the way to go." Harry suggested. "There's a library not far from Diagon Alley—It's along Greek Street, near SoHo square—that should be useful for any kinds of research, both muggle and wizarding-related."

"Thanks." Gemini said. "How can I get there?"

"Oh, it's big enough that you can't miss it, but it's got the same charms The Leaky Cauldron has that makes muggles look past it." Harry explained. The elevators dinged and opened, and Harry and Ron let Gemini go in first.

"You nervous?" Ron asked as they descended down to the atrium.

"Kinda." Gemini admitted. She could feel the itching of adrenaline that made her fidget. _It feels so right,_ Gemini thought. _As if this is a sign I was meant to do stuff like this._

She thought about her wizard parents, and she wondered what they would have thought if they found out the daughter they abandoned was an Auror. _They'd probably be proud,_ she thought smugly as the elevator opened.


	11. The Stakeout on Knockturn Alley

Chapter 10

The three of them ended up on top of a roof in Knockturn Alley. Gemini thought that was just an accident on Harry's part as she and Ron used side-along apparition with him, but she saw that they began to crawl quietly towards one direction, Harry motioning her to stay quiet, she got on her hands and knees and followed slightly behind.

 _I could have sworn it was sunny,_ Gemini said as she looked up at the sky, which was gray and dreary—a stark contrast to the sunny day she saw as she left the Ministry. "Is it always this depressing in Knockturn Alley?" She whispered loud enough for them to hear.

"This actually looks like one of its better days." Ron whispered back. "There's so much Dark Arts and residual Dark Magic here that it's sucking the life out of the skies that pass over it."

They climbed over a roof until they saw through the window of Borgin and Burke. Though the glass was semi-hazy, Gemini could see the only thing moving in the place was a man on a table, scribbling something. "What are we supposed to look for?"

"Anything suspicious." Harry said. "More often than not, after the Second Wizarding War, our main job was to hunt down the Dark Wizards who escaped capture. A few of them still lingered, but now we focus on guarding anything Dark that can harm wizards and muggles."

"And it's not easy—the Knockturn blokes look out for each other." Ron scowled. "They're all in trouble if one of them slips, so they keep together. We won't be getting help from them."

They stared at the window, but nothing seemed to be happening. "I don't think we can find anything from the roof." Gemini said.

"You're right. Wait here." Harry said. From his bag, he brought out a dark cloak and wrapped it around himself. As soon as he was wrapped, Gemini couldn't see his body and saw the roof under him. "It's an invisibility cloak."

She heard a pop next to her and Harry's head disappeared. She moved closer to Ron. "That's the cloak from the Deathly Hallows, by the way." Ron said. "You know what they are, right?"

"History of Magic. Professor Binns said it was believed to be nothing more than a child's tale until the Second Wizarding War, when the Hallows were proven to be true."

"Uh-huh."

"So…where are the other two?" Gemini asked curiously. "With the Ministry, I suppose?"

Ron shook his head. "Oh no. During the Battle at Hogwarts, Harry got rid of the other two. The Resurrection Stone is now some pebble in the Forbidden Forest while the Elder Wand's…well, can't say—sorry. Harry figured the world was safer without those other two."

"That must be one old cloak then." Gemini noted. She craned her neck to look down, and she saw a piece of paper on the ground twitch. "What happens if you cut it?"

" _Cut the Cloak of Invisibility?_ " Ron said, horrified. "Of course we'd never cut it!"

Gemini laughed. "I was kidding. But if that cloak's really old, won't it begin to fray or something? Like the threads should start to unravel by now."

Ron shrugged. "It's magic, made by Death himself. Most likely it won't."

"Even from wear and tear?"

"Maybe if you cut it." Ron smiled. "Seriously, the Deathly Hallows came from Death. To be able to modify or change it in any way is to be almost in the same league as Death. You'd have to be a really powerful wizard if you could cut the cloak into a hundred pieces and knit a hundred more like it. Maybe Merlin could have done it, or Nicolas Flamel—"

There was a soft pop and Ron grunted as he felt a heavy object fall on his back. Harry quickly took off his cloak and rolled away. "Sorry 'bout that." Harry whispered.

"It's fine." Ron said, stretching his back. "Find anything?"

Harry shook his head. "Did you go inside the shop?" Gemini asked.

"Too risky. If I apparate, a pop's bound to catch his attention, and I'm sure a door opening on its own is set to raise some alarms." Harry said. "There could be anti-disguise charms once you set foot in the shop, and Ron and I aren't exactly the most unrecognizable Aurors in the Ministry."

Gemini noticed that Ron was looking at her. "We are…" Ron said slowly. "But Gem's not."

"Ron…" Harry said warningly.

"You could enter, look around and see if there's anything fishy up for sale." Ron whispered to her. "It's not dangerous—just pretend to look interested. You could pass for a Black, to be honest, so Borgin may not kick you out in the first twenty seconds."

"That's a dangerous plan!" Harry said crossly.

"It's a horrible plan." Gemini said. She looked down at the shop, weighing her options. "Let's do it."

"Gemini!" Harry chastised her, pulling Ron and her down away from the shop's view. "This is dangerous! I told you, we're not doing anything—"

"I'm not gonna be in trouble, Harry." Gemini said. "I'm gonna open the door for you, and while I'm distracting Borgin, you see if you can go in undetected and look around."

Harry opened his mouth to protest, but stopped. "That's actually not a bad idea. Ron, do you have any Extendable Ears on-hand?"

"You know me, of course I do." Ron opened his bag. "I got the wireless one. George gave me a handful of these when I said I'd work with him."

"Good. We need two." Harry said. "Gemini, you think you can distract Borgin for five minutes?"

Gemini looked at her attire, pursing her lips. "Not like this. Can I have like three minutes?" Harry nodded, and Gemini disapparated.

Harry and Ron waited, and Gemini re-appeared minutes later. She wore a high-collared black dress, with lace black gloves, and had her hair—colored a dark brown shade—swept up in an expensive-looking up-do. She even wore her necklace. Her eyes were circled with dark eyeshadow and heavy eyeliner, and she looked almost evil with her sharp eyebrows.

"Yep, totally doesn't look like an intern from the Auror Office." Ron said.

"Gemini doesn't even look like Gemini." Harry said. "Good job!"

"Courtesy of Abigail Flint of the Muggle Liaison Office." She said. "If history was true, I'm not gonna last a minute in that shop if I don't let Borgin think I can afford to buy his entire shop."

"Where was she when we were looking at Malfoy and the Vanishing Cabinet?" Ron poked at Harry. "Right. I'll stay here and be on the look-out if anything goes wrong. You got a Gameplan, Gem?"

She grimaced. "Sort of. I'll try to make it up as I go."

"Okay." Harry said. "It's best if we apparate back in Diagon Alley. You might look like a Dark Witch, but you've never been here so it'll look less suspicious if you walk to the shop."

"Alright." Gemini said.

"I'll be in a cloak." Harry said. "I'll be right behind you. Put this extendable ear near your ears so you can hear Ron, then keep this here under your collar so he can hear you. And remember— _get out_ when there's trouble. Got it?"

Gemini nodded as she set the Extendable Ears behind her ear and a small circle just under her collar before she closed her eyes, focused on the dark tunnel nearby, and apparated. She caught the attention of a shady-looking bloke talking to the wall, who leered at her amusedly but turned back to staring at the wall. She tried to stay calm, hearing the sound of her heart slowly beating faster. She heard faint footsteps before she felt a presence behind her.

"Don't look behind you." She heard Harry's voice near her ear. "I'm just nearby. Just look like someone indifferent walking past."

"And if you're gonna smile, look smug." She hear Ron's cracking voice from the small ear pierced at the earring wire behind her ear. "You're a Slytherin, I'm sure you've seen enough people to know what I'm talking about."

Gemini stifled a grin at Ron's joke as she walked on, keeping her head high and strutting like the pure-bloods in Slytherin who secretly still loathed muggle-borns. She passed a few wizards and witches—some glaring, some cat-calling—but she tried not to falter and kept her head high, knowing very well the possibility that the people looking at her could suspect anything, probably even smell fear. She heard Harry trying to match her footsteps, and she turned a corner until she came face-to-face with the shop door.

She opened the door, a bell ringing above her head as she pushed it opened, and stepped a few inches forward. She held onto the doorknob a few seconds longer and felt Harry slide behind her and into the shop. So far, it didn't look like Borgin noticed Harry, but she could see that he was looking at her as if he was estimating her price.

"Good morning." Mr. Borgin said, standing up. "Can I help you?"

 _Remember—be a snob._ She told herself. "I don't know, can you?" She smiled smugly, giving his wares a once-over like she was at a charity store. "I'm a collector of...acquired tastes, and I was told you're the one to go to in London. Well, you and Cobb and Webb's down the street."

Borgin looked slightly offended. "We cater to a higher clientele than Cobb and Webb's, and we have some finer and rarer antiques for the discriminating collector." He said proudly. "I assure you, uh, miss—?"

 _Oh shit,_ Gemini thought, caught off guard. _Think! This guy is into Dark Arts, antiques, helped the Death Eaters with the Vanishing Cabinets. Yes—Death Eaters…uh…uhh…_ "Miss Lestrange." She said, raising her hand to him. It was the first Death Eater name that came into her mind.

"You're a Lestrange?" Borgin said suspiciously, not taking his eyes off of hers as he kissed her hand. "Your father and uncle is in Azkaban…"

"My _uncles_ are in Azkaban." She said coldly. "Father was never a Death Eater, and after that botched war in Hogwarts he didn't exactly put himself out in public anymore."

"I didn't know Rodolphus and Rabastan had a brother…" Borgin said.

"I'm not here to talk about my uncles, Borgin." Gemini snapped. "But the last time I checked, not all those the Ministry are after got caught—and let's just say I'm not as ignorant of their locations as they are, and perhaps they'd like to know why some of their possessions are being sold here, or so I'm told. If you've met Mr. Crowley from New Orleans, you'd know that I am a serious collector. So if you want to keep talking about my family…"

"Of course not, Miss Lestrange." Borgin gave a small bow in deference. "How can I help you with your collection? We have some fine cursed jewelry from the Ming Dynasty, or perhaps you'd like some Transylvanian spikes to add to your collection. We just got a fine shipment of poisons—"

Gemini scoffed. "Please—potions?! You insult my collections."

"I-I meant no offense, Ms. Lestrange." Borgin said quickly. "As someone as young as you, one can only assume you have just began a collection…"

"Father started it," Gemini admitted. _Damn, I am good at this._ "and then I've spent two years buying rare artifacts in the United States after I left Hogwarts—found Marie Laveau the Voodoo Queen's favorite hoop earrings from a wizard antique shop in a Creole village, you know."

She heard a footstep, and was grateful that he didn't notice. She started walking around to prevent Harry's footsteps from being heard. "I'm not interested in the uncommon or rare." She said as haughtily as she could, looking disdainfully at the trinkets on the side. "My collection is one of a kind because everything in it is _one of a kind_. I collect mementos, Borgin, because I know they're one of a kind. A feather from Morgan Le Fay's animagus when an archer grazed her skin, Nicolas Flamel's last breath, Dumbledore's spectacles—yes, my father acquired that; the Carrows were kind enough to get it for my father's birthday. _That's_ what I'm looking for."

"Don't push it, Gem." Ron said. "As far as we know, Borgin's good at antiques. Don't say anything too farfetched."

"Yes, well, we have a lot of "one of a kinds" here." Borgin said cheerily. "Some dying breaths of several dark wizards—yes, I have those in that cabinet over there. I have a preserved scorpion from King Tut's pyramid; it's stinger still works, and the poison gets fortified as time passes. It's a bit shredded from his death, but I also have Merwyn the Malicious' rope belt, but I must warn you that it's worth—"

"A bit too old for my taste—maybe daddy would buy it sometime soon." Gemini said boredly.

"Gemini, try your theory—the one about the memento of the war." Ron said.

"Don't you have anything…recent?" Gemini asked, her arms folded as though she wasn't interested in anything she was seeing.

"We do have…"

"You know what, Dumbledore's glasses are getting pretty lonely. Don't you have anything from the Second Wizarding War?" Gemini asked, hoping to lure Borgin in.

"Unfortunately, we only have a Death Eater's mask…"

"Perfect." Gemini said. "It's not rare, but in times like these, I can take your hands off of it. Father never found my uncles' masks, so this will have to do. I'd pay extra if it's Severus Snape's mask."

"Excellent, though it's actually Amycus Carrow's mask—perished in the Battle of Hogwarts. Though, if you'll forgive me, due to the nature of Death Eater masks and the Ministry, I can't give it to you now. But I can have it sent to your home—discreetly, of course. Five hundred galleons."

Gemini sighed. "Very well." She turned to leave, but stopped. "By any chance, do you have or at least know anyone who can know about any Dark artifact that I might want? I'm willing to pay for those one-of-a-kind things, hunt them down even."

"Ehh…" Mr. Borgin took one careful look at her before he got his wand from the table. With one flick, he made all the curtains cover the windows, and lead her to a corner far away from the door. Borgin cornered her in one side, and Gemini hoped Harry's footsteps wouldn't make a sound. "There is something, something you might want to know of. But it's very hush-hush and it's a hundred galleons just for this information: I won't tell you the buyer, but I can tell you of the artifact."

"Enough of your drama, Borgin. Just send the bill to my father in the Lestrange residence in Wiltshire." _Wiltshire's far enough,_ Gemini thought. _It'll be a while before he finds out that the third Lestrange brother doesn't exist._ "What is it?"

Mr. Borgin looked at the window cautiously before turning back to her. "The Dark Lord's first wand."

 _Bingo._ Gemini hoped Harry had heard that. She pretended to act speechless, but she was really just listening to Ron. "Holy—" Ron gasped. "Gem, it's really important you act interested—but don't raise suspicion. Ask him where he got it, where it is—ask anything that can lead us to it!"

"What?" She said disbelievingly after Ron stopped.

"Yew wood, just over an inch of a foot, and made with the phoenix feather shared by The Boy Who Lived himself." Borgin nodded.

"Now that's what I'm looking for." Gemini said, and she meant it. "A one of a kind."

Borgin nodded. "You ever heard about the story of the Dark Lord's last stand? Well, after Harry Potter revealed himself as the true master of the Elder Wand, some say that had the Dark Lord not continued to use the Elder Wand and had his first wand with him and used it against the boy instead of the Elder, well, things would have gone a lot differently…the boy with a wand not even his, and the Dark Lord with his own wand of phoenix core."

"And how did you get it?" She asked, hoping Harry was taking note. "I'm only asking because an antique collector tried to sell me a snakeskin that was allegedly Nagini, the Dark Lord's pet."

"Liars and cheats—understandable, Ms. Lestrange." Borgin said. "It came from a certain Mundungus Fletcher. He's not the most morally upright man, but he's heavily acquainted with the Order of the Phoenix and was in the Battle of Hogwarts, and he has a reputation of nicking possibly valuable items from rubble and selling it. I was visiting in Scotland when he approached me. He didn't know who the wand belonged to, but said he picked it up somewhere near the Forbidden Forest. He thought it belonged to some Death Eater, since it looked so ominous, and wanted to sell it to me as memorabilia for not even half the galleons it's really worth. Luckily, I happened to know where to find which wand belonged to which wizard, and I found that this was the Dark Lord's original wand."

"And you trust that this Mundungus isn't playing you?" She asked shrewdly. "You said he was from the Order so he might have known what the real wand looked like, made a duplicate, and pretended not to know the identity of the owner so he could make a quick galleon."

"Mundungus' honesty is as unstable as the remaining hairs on his head, but he knows enough than to sell fakes in this business." Borgin said with a knowing smile. "He knows what happens to wizards who dupe other wizards here."

"Good." She said. "So you said yes?"

"Oh, I refused!" Borgin continued. "It was possibly the darkest thing I've been offered, so of course I said no!"

"But it's one of a kind, and I thought…"

"Ms. Lestrange, that wand it the apex artifact of all Dark Artifacts." Borgin said. "Created seven horcruxes, known to kill many wizards, and used heavily in the Dark Arts. This room is filled with Dark Magic, but all these combined does not possess the Dark Magic it contains. The Ministry could close me down if I ever kept it in my shop."

Gemini furrowed her eyebrows. "Then why did you say you had a buyer?"

"Well…after a while, a certain buyer was looking for, well, pretty much exactly the same kind of collection you have, and this buyer was one of the more wealthier clientele I have had the pleasure of dealing with. When I gave the information to the buyer, the buyer offered ten times what Mundungus was offering, and I thought it worth the risk. I bought the wand from Mundungus, had it brought to the shop the same day, and had it quickly sold off to the buyer before it could even leave any trace of being here."

 _That's all I needed to hear,_ Gemini thought. In her earpiece, Ron was telling her to finish up and get out as quickly as she could. "And now you tell me that the Dark Lord's wand exists, but you won't tell me where to begin looking?"

"I'm afraid I can't help you any further, Ms. Lestrange." Borgin said apologetically. "But considering your family connections, it should be easy for you to locate it. You and the buyer should be _very_ close."

"That's helpful." Gemini rolled her eyes. "Anything else?"

Borgin shook his head. "Would you like me to inform you when anything comes around?"

Gemini pretended to think. "I'll contact you. Good day, Mr. Borgin."

Borgin waved his wand and the curtains went back up. One of the bigger curtains shook and made a loud thump as it rolled back up that it shook the shop as Gemini walked out. She was still casually strolling out the door that she had no time to react as an old-looking necklace, displayed in a case that had small pegs, shook out of one of the pegs and lowered off the case. The necklace's bright red amulet gently brushed the tip of Gemini's arm, creating a loud bang and sending her flying across the room.


	12. Workplace Hazards and Hazardous Mementos

Chapter 11

There was nothing but a searing pain. A searing pain and darkness.

Gemini wasn't sure about what had happened, but she knew that she wasn't awake. At first, she couldn't hear anything, as she was too distracted by the pain in her body, but then she heard a swooping sound as though something had flown right in front of her face.

Then she could hear the whispers start. They were all inaudible, but in their own way they were piercing the darkness she couldn't see past.

 _You ever heard about the story of the Dark Lord's last stand?_ It was Borgin's voice that resonated amongst the murmurs. _…some say that had the Dark Lord not continued to use the Elder Wand and had his first wand with him and used it against the boy instead of the Elder, well, things would have gone a lot differently…_

His voice was drowned out as the whispers grew louder, though still inaudible. Gemini tried to move, but had no idea where she was. She couldn't tell if she was on her back or walking in the darkness, only that she was alone.

And she wasn't.

 _Its power is mine!_

She turned around—or at least, she thought she did—but saw no one who could have said it.

… _what does it matter?_ She heard the same male voice speak. _…it makes no difference to you and me…on skill alone…after I have killed you…_

 _Avada Kedavra!_ The voice screamed. She thought it was pointed at her, but there was no flash of light of the Unforgivable Curse heading towards her. She did not see the light hit her, but she had heard a loud bang and suddenly she felt like her soul was trying to wrench free of her body.

Gemini gritted her teeth at the pain, and for all she knew she was already dead. And for some reason, she felt sad for the voice.

 _Gemini…_ She heard the voice say. It was the same voice, though softer, almost weaker than the way he spoke a while ago. _Gemini…_

She looked around at the darkness, but there was still no one. The voice kept calling her name, feebly trying to sound louder than it once did.

 _The Heir will rise…_ It was a woman's voice this time that overpowered the others. _…rise from the unknowingness…take back what is theirs…born at the year's half… died near the year's end…the Dark Lord will reign supreme…the Heir shall fall…No power on earth…stand in their way…faithful servant has revolted…enemy has dropped his sword…Death shall reign both victor and loser._

"Wait, what?" She said through gritted teeth. But the woman's voice disappeared and melted in with the other whispers and Gemini cried as she curled up into a ball and tried to ignore the growing whispers that were piercing her ears. The whisper became clear and she realized that they weren't whispers, but cries and screams from all kinds of people, and the pain of hearing them made her want to die and be done with it.

Until it stopped.

The darkness was quiet now, and Gemini opened her eyes. It was still dark, apart from the glowing red eyes in the distance.

 _Gemini…_ it was the male's voice. Comforting, soothing in her situation. _Find…me…_

And she wasn't in the darkness anymore, and like a flash saw the brightness of a forest whizzing past her as it was like she was flying through the trees. The last thing she saw was a tall, imposing tree among the other trees, before falling onto the ground as the vision disappeared.

She felt her heart begin to beat again, and it felt like her soul was sucked back into her body. The pain subsided. Gemini could begin to hear someone speaking, but as she could feel herself shaking her head, the voice got louder and clearer.

"Honestly Ronald…extremely irresponsible…could have died…" Gemini recognized Hermione's voice, and she sounded angry. Furious, even.

Gemini opened her eyes slowly. She found herself in a small apartment, lying on a bed. The room could have been described as whimsical, filled with small toys, though it looks like it hadn't been used in a while. On the end of the bed, a red-haired man was looking down at her. He looked a bit like Ron, but taller and older, and he had an ear missing. "She's awake!" The man announced. He leaned down on her. "Hey, can you hear me?"

Gemini squinted to focus, but slowly nodded. "Good." He said. "Hey guys!"

Hermione broke her rant and turned sharply. "Gemini!" She exclaimed. "Oh thank god."

"How long have I been out?" Gemini asked, gritting her teeth as she tried to sit up. Hermione filled a cup of water for her to drink. Gemini thanked Hermione, who nodded carefully.

"It's almost three, so about four hours." Ron said. "This is my brother George's apartment, and this is George."

The other man, George, waved. Gemini turned to a harried-looking Hermione. "W-what happened?"

Harry stepped in. "You were about to leave, but one of the necklaces fell of its case and you came in contact with it. Sent you flying across the room. As soon as Ron saw you crash, he apparated to the door and bolted in before Borgin even noticed me taking my cloak off. He thought Ron was just doing Auror rounds, and I figured I should stay hidden as not to raise suspicion, so Ron got you and said he'd take you to St. Mungo's—"

"And you should have taken her to St. Mungo's!" Hermione said shrilly. "For all we know, that thing could have cursed her. We're lucky she's even still alive."

Ron sighed. "When I got you, Gem, Borgin was actually surprised that you were still breathing. He said victims died for less contact you've had. A bloody miracle, actually."

"Maybe because she wasn't really in direct contact." Hemione said. "If it did touch her arm as you said, Harry, then it just touched this sleeve. Lucky you were wearing this."

She turned to the two others. "At what point was it a good idea to you to bring an intern out to a field?" She asked furiously.

"Well, I wanted to show her what an Auror's job was really like." Harry said defensively. "And besides, the plan worked out perfectly. It was just an accident that the necklace fell!"

"And besides, she had a great plan!" Ron chimed in. "Thanks to her, we know the Dark Artifact we're looking for. The big one that's appeared in our map."

"Oh really? And what artifact is so important enough that you resorted to using an intern to finding out."

"Nothing much." Harry said dryly. "Just Lord Voldemort's wand."

Hermione went pale. "Hi-his wand?"

Ron nodded. "Gem, I think you should tell her."

Gemini nodded and recalled what Borgin said. In a matter of minutes, she felt normal again, answering Hermione's occasional side-questions. From time to time, Harry would give a bit of information Gemini forgot to say.

"That's…that's actually impressive." Hermione said quietly. "Well done, Gemini."

"Thank you." Gemini said weakly. "If you don't mind, I'd rather be standing up now. I think I can…"

George and Hermione helped Gemini get off the bed and off her feet. "You had a bit of a wound on your head from hitting the window." Hermione said as she stood back to let Gemini get her balance. "But you're fine now. Luckily it's not that bad."

"I'll have to go back down to the shop." George announced. "Stay as long as you need, just make sure you lock up when you're done. Can't wait to have you here next week, Ron. Guys…"

He smiled politely at Gemini before he made his way out of the apartment. When he was gone, Ron drew out his map. "Let's see if Borgin was telling the truth."

He opened the map for all of them to see before tapping it with his wand. He explained to Hermione everything he had explained earlier in the office. "Now that I know we're looking for You-Know-Who's wand, it seems pretty clear." Ron said. "The brighter red it is, the more traces of Dark Magic it has. I heard Borgin say a wand like that has more Dark Magic than his other stuff, so you can see how there's no change before and after the buyer leaves. We know for sure that we're looking for a wand. Now we just need to know who has it. It's obviously not in London."

Ron gave another tap of the wand and the red dots were mixed with green dots. "These dots represent wizards with traces of Dark Magic. You can see a lot of both in Knockturn Alley. Now, I'll go back to when You-Know-Who's wand left the building."

The red dot appeared again, and within a few minutes, a green dot appeared to claim it. The green dot travelled to Knockturn Alley. Minutes after, a green dot apparated near Borgin and Burke's, left with the red dot, and both disapparated.

"Well, at least we've just confirmed what we already know." Harry said matter-of-factly. "Only a Dark Wizard would want the wand."

"That narrows it down." Ron said sarcastically. He gave a tap on the map and several of the dots shifted around. "This is what it looks like now."

Gemini looked down at Borgin and Burke's, which looked as if Borgin was pacing around the room. There were several green dots along Knockturn Alley, but what caught her attention was the green dot located on 93 Diagon Alley. She pointed at the dot. "Why is there a dot here?"

"That's probably you." Ron said, but noticed her reaction. "Don't worry, that's probably just a trace of Dark Magic from that necklace that touched you. Back in the Second Wizarding War, nearly everyone could be on this map from all the Dark Magic used out in public."

"Did Borgin say anything about the buyer? Gemini, please don't force yourself. Just sit down if you can't take it." Hermione said, pulling a chair.

"I'm fine, just sleepy legs. I think I may have bruises on them too." Gemini said. "I pretended to be a Lestrange, and Borgin just said that it should be easy for me to find the buyer because, apparently, I should be very close with the buyer."

"I think you know very well who he's talking about." Harry said. "There's only one person Borgin can be referring to."

"I thought so too," Ron replied, "but I think there's a possibility he was referring to the little circle of Death Eaters."

"I thought so too, but then the way Borgin said it…it could only mean him."

"Who?" Gemini asked. Even Hermione looked puzzled.

"Draco Malfoy." Harry said. "He's a defected Death Eater. A few Death Eaters escaped after the war, but the Malfoys—specifically Narcissa Malfoy—helped us win against him."

"She lied about your death." Gemini recalled. "I heard she did it for her son, that woman."

"Yes, but whatever her reason, if she told Voldemort I was alive, things would have ended badly for us." Harry said. "They weren't incarcerated for being Death Eaters, because of that act of heroism, and they've lived a quiet life ever since. Apparently, until now…"

"Harry, for all we know, he could have been referring to other Death Eaters." Hermione pointed out. "And if it's not Death Eaters, remember how many allies they had: Umbridge, Snatchers, Fenrir Greyback…"

"Well, all of them are in Azkaban, aren't they?" Harry retorted. "And I don't think Death Eaters on the run have the time to be collecting antiques from Borgin."

"Well, what about the other pure-blood supremacists, I'm pretty sure there's a lot of them in Slytherin." Hermione quickly turned around. "No offense, Gemini."

"None taken, there really are." Gemini shrugged. "Blood supremacy's been wiped out since the war, so talking about it or acting like a supremacist in public is a big no, but it's quite the common topic in the Slytherin Commons. That's why everyone in the House knew I was half-blood."

Harry and Ron looked at Hermione puzzledly. "Don't ask." She said tightly. "Right, well, if you're going to Malfoy's, best do it _without_ untrained minors. Gemini, I'll take you home. You can have the day off tomorrow."

"But I'm fine," Gemini protested. "If I'm fine tomorrow, could I come in?"

Hermione sighed. "Very well, but go see St. Mungos tomorrow just to be safe." She turned to the two. "I'm not finished with you two. I'll see you in the office later."

Hermione lead Gemini down the apartment through side stairs of the building, and onto Diagon Alley. They made their way past the Leaky Cauldron before making their way to the streets of London. "I hope you don't mind if we take a cab to your place." Hermione said as she flagged one down. "I'd apparate, but considering what you just went through, I don't want to get you any sick than you already are."

Gemini nodded wordlessly as they entered a cab. She told the cabbie her address. "What you did was really brave, Gemini." Hermione said. "I hope you don't do it again, but that was brave."

"Thanks." Gemini replied humbly. "It was a…learning experience."

"You still have eight weeks." Hermione said. "Are you planning anything yet on your report?"

"No topic yet, but I think I have an idea."

"You do?" Hermione asked. "Well, I can't wait to read it in ten weeks."

They rode the rest of the way in silence, but Gemini's mind was running fast, popping several topics at a time for her report. She had been sure of herself many time, but after what happened today, she had never been surer about what she wanted. _I'm going to be an Auror,_ she told herself. _I have to make sure I become an Auror._


	13. The Long Ride Home

Chapter 12

Draco was the first one to enter the Hogwarts Express, more comfortable staying at an empty compartment for an hour's wait than to spend another minute in the Three Broomsticks, which was getting tenser every second he wasn't in his room. The train was exactly the way it was seventeen years ago, but there was a heavy feeling to it because he knew Hogsmeade wasn't the only thing he was leaving behind. He forced himself to feel relieved, that he had finally reached a point where he had to accept that there were too many options to go through in order to find his long-lost cousin, but part of him felt horribly defeated, because he figured the moment the orphanage confirmed that Gemini went to Hogwarts, everything would be smooth sailing from that point.

He had miscalculated by one year, and had he gotten it right the first time, he wouldn't have hoped to find her or started this goose chase in the first place, and thinking about it only made him feel worse.

The sun was beginning to rise, and Draco watched it slowly peek out of the forest trees as he yawned in exhaustion. _At least I can move on now…try, at least._ He had been missing hours of work for this search, and his business-oriented side was already planning out how he could make up for the hours without having to compromise his time with Astoria and Scorpius.

"Draco?" Draco was lost in thought that he didn't hear the compartment door open. He recognized Professor Slughorn, though most of his hair was white—at least, the hair on the sides of his head—and he was slightly hunched. He was carrying a rather large suitcase Draco thought should have been left at the luggage car. He beamed at him. "What a pleasant surprise! Do you mind?" He motioned at the empty seat in front of him.

"Please." Draco nodded. He stood up. "Do you need any help with your luggage?"

"Oh, no." Slughorn waved a hand as he lowered the suitcase on his seat. Draco noticed that it was slowly shaking and tilting on its own. "I hope you don't mind…when you keep a suitcase filled with students like mine…oh, even their pictures can be a handful."

With a tap of his wand, the suitcase opened and picture frames of different shapes and sizes flew out. A few hung on Slughorn's side of the compartment, some landed neatly on the overhead luggage rack above him, while a few arranged themselves neatly on top of his suitcase. _The Slug Club,_ Draco thought.

"Yes, well," Slughorn chuckled. "Cassio Zabini certainly has a sense of humor. If I recall correctly, you and his father were in the same year, weren't you? Well, Mr. Zabini here was also a pretty good Beater for the Slytherin Quidditch team. We won the championship this year. Now he's in training with the Falmouth Falcons as we speak!"

Draco heard the train's whistle, and in a matter of second, he began to feel the train slowly move away from the station. _Finally. Wait a minute._

"You're the Head of Slytherin?" Draco asked.

"Why yes! For the last seventeen years." Slughorn said proudly. "Except for that one-year vacation I had in 2005. And there has never been a better time to be in Slytherin than the present. Why, it's been House Cup after House Cup and Quidditch Cup after Quidditch Cup for us in the past few years! It's as if our house is finally redeeming its name after…well, you know…"

Draco nodded. Slughorn took out a flask and took a long drink, offering some to Draco afterwards, which Draco refused. "In fact, a lot of my brightest students have been in Slytherin—and it's not because I'm biased, mind you. Why, there's Zabini right there! You can see the resemblance."

Slughorn took the nearest picture frame, and by far the biggest among the other frames. Draco understood why that photo was the biggest when Slughorn showed it to him: it had so many students, more than the average number of students in the other photos that having a smaller picture would have made it completely hard to see. Most of the students were wearing green, but Draco knew it wasn't because it was a photo of Slughorn's annual Christmas party. When you've spent a big part of your life with Slytherins, it was easy to recognize one: from the self-assured smile to the arrogant expressions to the resemblance many of them have with his classmates and upperclassmen to the way everyone in green seemed to be so close that they made the other Slug Club members look like interlopers in an all-Slytherin photo.

Slughorn was talking about Zabini's son again, but Draco wasn't paying attention anymore, and was instead looking at one of the Slytherins with wavy black hair and unnaturally pale skin. _Gemini._ Draco gasped.

"What's wrong?" Draco looked up and saw Slughorn peering at him.

"Ugh…just…his resemblance to Zabini is uncanny." Draco lied. He smiled. "There's certainly a lot of Slytherins."

"Yes, well, I'm sure you know most of my students' parents! And all of them are actually quite talented in their own way, they're actually doing quite well, every one of them." Slughorn continued. "Zabini's twin over here, Cassandra, is now somewhere in Romania training dragons. Abigail Flint's in London dressing everyone in Level One for the Muggle Liaison Office. Nate Montague's doing business with his father's company, naturally, and next to him, Catherine Pucey is the British Ministry of Magic's Junior Ambassador to France. And over here…"

Draco felt his heart kick. _Slughorn's going to finish my search for me!_ He wanted to scream, but he forced himself to keep quiet and appear interested until he would tell him where Gemini was.

"And this girl, Gemini Ridley…" Slughorn slowed down. Draco could see Slughorn's face soften. "One of the most remarkable students I've ever met. Very bright that girl, _extremely_ bright. The first student I know who perfected all her N.E.W.T.s."

"Really?" Draco said. _But where is she?!_ There was no time to practice his lines. He needed to play his cards right, try to get Slughorn to continue and tell him everything he needed to know to find her. "She doesn't look like anyone I know…"

"Oh no…she…she came from a muggle orphanage."

"A muggle-born?" Draco narrowed his eyes. "In Slytherin?"

"I thought so too, but it's actually an inside joke for Slytherin students that she's half-blood." Slughorn laughed. "The Sorting Hat has been known to sort muggle-borns into Slytherin, though quite rarely. I've asked the hat about that once, and he sort of hinted that those muggle-borns brought into Slytherin are those whose qualities scream Slytherin that he can't put them anywhere else. At first, I thought that was the case, but…"

"But what?"

She's an intelligent student. She rarely studies—I've never even seen her pick up a book until third year—yet she never ceases to amaze her professors. The students eventually figured that she couldn't possibly be muggle-born if that intelligence was in her instinct. But the question still stands: which witch or wizard would leave their child in a muggle orphanage?"

"Possibly a muggle-born." Draco said disdainfully, but immediately regretted it. He hoped that Slughorn would try to make up for a muggle-born Slytherin in the Slug Club by telling him where Gemini ended up in, but it was apparent that Slughorn took it as a hint that Draco couldn't be bothered to know about a muggle-born and moved on to the next Slytherin. He wanted to ask Slughorn what happened to Gemini, but he didn't want to let it appear that he took an interest in her, so he gave a faint smile as Slughorn continued the rest of the introduction and began talking about his year as the Potions professor.

Draco felt a niggling frustration. The answer to his search was right in front of him—all he had to do was ask. Slughorn most definitely knew about Gemini Ridley's whereabouts, but the answer was still out of his reach because Draco knew the dangers that came with asking around. He knew that Slughorn was the man who first went to Gemini in the orphanage, and, from Slughorn's reaction, that Gemini was his teacher's pet for almost seven years. Draco didn't want to risk giving Slughorn the wrong idea—especially when Slughorn believed in the possibility that she was half-blood and had wizarding parents who abandoned her.

When Slughorn wasn't looking, Draco looked at the photo again. She had a less mischievous smile than the one in the trophy room, though obviously subtlety was never her strength and Draco wondered if she was really a cunning young woman—and if Slughorn knew (or cared)—and how no one ever made the connection between her and Bellatrix Lestrange if she kept smiling that way. _Or maybe it's just me, since I've known this secret for so long._ She was wearing an elegant emerald green dress with a sweetheart neckline and empress waistline that walked the borderline between girl and woman, accessorized with the necklace her mother left her. Like the rest of the Slug Club members, she had a wineglass in her hand, and the way she lifted it at him made him feel like she knew his dirty little secret.

 _I'm sorry, Gemini._ Draco sighed, thinking guiltily. _Too many options for me to go on._

"I wonder what's taking Honeydukes Express so long." Professor Slughorn said after a while. He stood up and headed out the compartment. "Excuse me, Draco. I just need to find the lady and get some Bertie Bott's and some tea."

Alone in a compartment hung with photos, Draco tried focusing at the window, before deciding that he couldn't be more distracted by the photos constantly waving at him. Slughorn was known for choosing students who seemed like they could be useful in the future. Some were brilliant wizards, some had powerful connections, and some had both. Because of his father being sent to Azkaban at the time, Draco did not have an invitation to the club in his sixth year—not that he wanted it. He saw the photo he could have been in, along with Potter, Granger, the Weasley girl, Zabini, and a few others from varying houses.

Draco stopped looking at that photo and noticed one of the older photos hanging on the wall. There was one old-looking photo that consisted of Slughorn with three other boys and one girl. The three students were behind him, but one student…the one with the long, platinum blonde hair, sat beside Slughorn himself. _Father…_ Draco thought. He realized a possibility, and looked at the other photos, which affirmed what he was thinking.

In one of the photos, Draco recognized Barnabas Cuffe, the former editor of the _Daily Prophet._ Another had Gwenog Jones standing in front of a large crowd of Slug Club members, standing proudly next to Slughorn. Potter and Hermione Granger were the closest to Slughorn in their photo. Draco looked at the other photos, and he realized that most of the people who stood beside Slughorn were now famous and highly successful, the kind of people Slughorn loved to brag about since he helped them get a leg-up in success, and Draco realized something important.

 _The ones in front were his favorites! Gemini was Slughorn's favorite, of course! It's so obvious!_ Draco realized. _Even the Slug Club had its own hierarchy._

From Gemini's self-assured smile and relaxed pose, you'd think it were obvious, but when most of her photo's members were obviously from Slytherin, the only way to tell she was his favorite was the fact that she was the one standing beside him in the photo. Draco knew it should mean nothing, but he felt like there was something else, a bigger picture he couldn't see. With what he knew, there were a hundred options where Gemini could have ended up in, but when he took everything he knew into consideration, the options began to narrow down

Until finally, he saw it.

 _Gemini was Slughorn's favorite. She's also Head Girl, Prefect, and one of the brightest students._ Draco thought excitedly. _I think I know where she is._

There were so many places for her to go.

There was only one place Slughorn would help her go.

And lucky for Draco, the train was taking him there.


	14. Mentors and Meddlers

**Sorry for the long wait! This chapter is really short, but I promise that the next chapter is going to be really interesting! Thanks!**

Chapter 13

"What do you mean you _plan_ to move out?" Abigail said indignantly. "Don't you like it in the penthouse?"

"Of course I love it there!" Gemini said. "But you can't expect me not to feel bad about letting my best friend paying for my housing!"

"It's what best friends do! And besides, I'm happy enough to help you out until you can get a place of your own. I'd be damned if I let you stay in that orphanage."

"I'm not a charity case, Abby."

"Who said you were?" Abigail shot. She put her hands on Gemini's shoulders, stopping the two of them as they neared the Ministry's entrance. "You're not a charity case, you're my sister—at least, I've always thought of you as a sister ever since we became best friends. We do everything together, we know what we're thinking just by staring at each other. Don't you think so?"

Gemini sighed. "Of course I think of you as a sister."

"And as your sister, I'd hate to think of you not being able to have a normal house over your head when I can afford to help until you can." Abigail said firmly, taking her arm as they continue onwards. "Besides, I know you're not going to want to stay like this forever—a queen's got to rule on her own, right? But for the meantime, I hope you don't try to rush and settle for any dump just because you want a place of your own, okay?"

"Okay."

"Promise?" Abigail narrowed her eyes.

"I promise." Gemini smiled. They finally reached the building for the fireplace to the Ministry. "I'm not going anywhere until I find a place that is remotely livable and affordable with an intern's salary. Now can we please go?"

"Me?" Abigail's eyes widened. "Oh no, I took a day-off today. I'm just walking because I figured you wouldn't want to walk alone."

"Why did you take a day-off?"

"Father and mother are asking me to drop by our house in Essex today." Abigail said while rolling her eyes. "I don't know, they said it was something important, but if you ask me, it's probably an inquisition about why I'm not the Minister of Magic yet. I'm pretty sure father would wish I was more like you, needing independence and all that."

"I'm pretty sure they're proud of you no matter what. You work in the Ministry, for Merlin's sake!"

"Great. Do you mind taking a telling my parents that?" Abigail said dryly. "Anyway, I'll see you later, Gemini."

Abigail apparated away, leaving Gemini to enter the derelict building on her own. There was a short line of wizards waiting for their turn to use the fireplace, and she waited patiently at the back. Her thoughts drifted to her adventure yesterday, and she wondered whether or not she still had traces of Dark Magic. She also thought about Orion, whose gums showed the precipice of two fangs, and she wondered if she would have to send him to the Amazon if he continued to grow bigger.

Finally, it was her turn, and after almost two weeks of using the Floo Network, Gemini knew better than to come to work with a high-maintenance hair-do. She let her hair down, the way Hermione Granger did, and as if by some unknown confidence charm, it looked better when she didn't try to keep it down. It wasn't the most professional look, but it took Gemini a day to figure out that only a handful of wizards looked as professional as muggle corporate employees did.

"Miss Ridley?" She heard a voice say as she walked to the elevators.

"Professor Slughorn?" Gemini said out loudly. He quickly ran to her—or at least, as fast as he could with his cane—and gave her a big hug, quickly speaking that she couldn't understand him. "What are you doing here?" She asked after he released her.

"Why, for you, m'dear!" Slughorn said, leading her to the elevators. "I heard from one of the department a few days ago that you got into an accident during an undercover operation with some Aurors. I'm just coming by to visit the Undersecretary to talk about the safety of interns, 'specially those handling dangerous situations and—"

"I'm fine, Professor." Gemini said. "I felt a lot better after I went home after that accident."

Gemini recalled what happened the day before as they waited for an elevator to go up. She left out the part about what she saw in the dreams, and the words that she couldn't seem to remember clearly, and instead said she passed out until she woke up. From time to time, important-looking employees would wave at Professor Slughorn and he would give them an approving smile. Gemini wasn't stupid, and she knew that those he smiled at were also from the Slug Club, and Professor Slughorn was the one who pushed many of them to where they were today. _And as for me…_ she thought slyly, the idea of the Auror Training Program running through her mind.

"Well, at least you're okay." Professor Slughorn sighed. "Still have to talk to Mr. Weasley about some other matters, though. How's the internship going so far?"

"It's fine." Gemini replied as they entered one elevator. "I know I want to be an Auror now, so I just have to finish the rest of my internship in the rest of the divisions, and then after that Hermione Granger will read my report and see which department I belong in."

"An Auror, how wonderful! And it suits you too, considering your high marks!" Professor Slughorn beamed. "What report?"

"I'm still not sure." Gemini shrugged. "I want Hermione to consider me for the Auror Training Program—especially after what I witnessed yesterday—but I have no idea what to write about the Dark Arts for her to consider it, and my report has to be really good…"

"What about the Second Wizarding War?" He suggested. "No lack of first-hand eyewitnesses around you."

"I'm pretty sure Rita Skeeter and her son, Raymond, have stretched out books about Second War experiences, fictional or otherwise, professor."

"Ahh, well then…" Professor Slughorn drifted off, thinking deeply as he squinted his eyes. He looked at her with a big smile. "Just work on the Dark Arts, Gemini, and I know you'll think of something. You know what I liked about you and your lot of friends?"

"We're perfectly perfect in every way?" Gemini said loftily, and he smiled toothily as he nudged her elbow with a cane. "What?"

"You remind me of the Amazonian Emerald Snake—a rare snake, quite deadly when come in contact, as it's not only very lithe, but fast and intelligent, and its venom has quite a number of uses no other venoms can do in potions." Slughorn said dreamily the same way he talked about potion ingredients that were very rare. "Now while it's still small, the Amazonian Emerald recognizes that other animals will be its prey, but while it's not bigger than the size of a quill pen, it hides from its prey. However, when it sees that all the other animals are running in fear from an animal, no matter its size the Amazonian Emerald will run towards the animal and size up its opponents.

"You're a smart girl, and I know you for someone who isn't afraid to swim past the tide." Slughorn winked.

"Like a salmon?" Gemini asked sarcastically.

"Oh shush, Ms. Ridley. Salmons swim upstream, then that's pretty much it. You, on the other hand, are an intelligent, hardworking, cunning young lady and you can do anything you put your mind to, no matter the challenge. Which is why I'm not going to tell you what to do; you're going to find out on your own."

"What?! Not even a hint!?" Gemini said frustratedly. Professor smiled evilly as he shook his head. "I saw your expression! You know the perfect topic I can report about! Tell me!"

Before she knew it, Gemini found the elevator doors opening to the Department of Magical Law Enforcement's lobby, and she was forced to get out. "Not even a hint?" She asked, the tone of her voice practically begging.

"Hmmm…just one." Slughorn said tauntingly. "Considering your Hogwarts House, what's the most predictable report you'd write about when it comes to the Dark Arts? Oh, see you around, Ms. Ridley! I'm very proud of you!"

"That's not even a helpful clue!" Gemini yelled at the elevator, but it was already moving away before it shot up, Professor Slughorn's knowing grin the last thing she saw. Gemini scowled and walked to the fountain, trying to think about what Professor Slughorn said.

"Hey Gemini!" Malcolm greeted her. "Surprised you showed up to work today after what happened at Knockturn Alley. You feeling okay?"

"Good, just thinking." She said as she sat on the fountain's ledge. _What did he mean by writing a report predictably written by a Slytherin?_

She knew that when it came to the Dark Arts, Slytherin students were stars. Voldemort's side of the war were mostly Slytherins, even the allies she knew the Ministry did not know about. She knew Slytherins whose families weren't Death Eaters, but supported the cause and ideals and did what they could to further it. When the Battle was lost, they quietly kept to themselves, pretending to have nothing to do with the losing side. Minister Shacklebolt reformed the Ministry and, with the help of Hermione Granger, stopped laws that gave pure-bloods unfair advantages, and with it society's reform against discrimination. On the outside, they were more tolerant to muggle-borns and half-breeds, but in the Slytherin Commons, Gemini watched their disgust for what they called "mudbloods, filthy half-breeds, and blood traitors". _Luckily I wasn't a muggle-born, and they knew it,_ she told herself. _Hell, Zoey Rosier and the Zabini twins would never have sat at the same table with me if they thought I was muggle-born._

So it was obvious a Slytherin could write a Dark Arts report in his or her sleep, _but about what?_ She tried decoding what Professor Slughorn meant. _If I wrote like a Slytherin, I wouldn't even make it to the Department, let along Auror Training._ Gemini rolled her eyes. _I'd write something along the line of 'Dark Arts are good and Voldemort should have won and Hermione doesn't deserve to be here because she's a muggle-born'…wait. Unless…_

She turned to Malcolm. "Is Hermione in the office?" He nodded. "Thanks."

Gemini tried not to run, but in her excitement, she darted in a careless jog, knocking at Hermione's door as she opened it. She was at her table, writing some papers, several books floating around the room. "I hope I'm not catching you at a bad time…" Gemini stopped.

"No, no. Come in. I'm surprised you didn't take a hint that I was giving you a resting day after what happened in Knockturn."

"I'm fine. Hermione…"

She put down her quill. "Yes?"

"What if I wrote a report on the Dark Arts in the point-of-view of Voldemort's side?" Gemini asked. "Hypothetically speaking, if I wrote that and I wrote it well, where would you sort me?"

Hermione looked at her. "Possibly Azkaban, if I suspect you're planning a Third Wizarding War. Otherwise, it would depend. If you wrote about tactics the side used, I'd sort you into the Investigation Department, but if you're a bit more general on Dark Magic itself and why their side lost, I suppose…Auror Office—that is, after you take Auror Training." Hermione smiled knowingly. "Why?"

"I just thought of the report idea a while ago, and I think I really want to be an Auror, after everything I witnessed yesterday."

"That's good, you're thinking ahead." Hermione said approvingly. "But why the interesting topic?"

"Because I'm not Rita Skeeter." Gemini said humorously. A laugh escaped Hermione's lips, but she nodded for her to continue. "Because you know the saying 'History is written by the victors'? I want to write a report on the Second Wizarding War on their perspective, and then possibly do an analysis on Death Eater motives, Dark Lord Supporters, and what could have happened or what could have been if some things went differently."

Hermione looked at her, impressed. "That's actually not a bad idea." She said. "But it sounds rather long. You know that you still have eight weeks of interning, right? And you only have two weeks to write that report?"

"I can work on it between intern shifts." Gemini said.

Hermione grinned, seeing a bit of herself in the intern. "Well then, if you know you can do it, why not?" She looked at a small planner next to her. "Harry and Ron are currently off, doing a bit of investigating at Draco Malfoy's, so I don't see why I should keep you stuck here today and might as well give you that day off. If you want to get a head start on that report, there's a library nearby…"

"Harry told me about a library. The one on Greek Street?"

"The dilapidated building—at least, to muggles. It's the building between the Starbucks and the glasses shop." Hermione nodded. "Good luck, Gemini!"

"See you tomorrow!" Gemini turned to head out the door, but stopped mid-way. "Hermione…I don't think I've thanked you enough for this opportunity."

Hermione smiled warmly. "It's no trouble, Gemini. You've earned it."

"And I'm sorry about that small outburst before." Gemini said remorsefully. "Can we just…"

"Start over?" Hermione said helpfully. "I'd like that. Thank you."

"Thanks." Gemini said as she headed to the door. _If she's going to be my boss, I might as well be on good terms with her. I know she'll never understand my instinct about my parents, but I don't want to work for someone with tension about that._ "See you!"

"Bye!" Hermione waved as Gemini left. She leaned on her chair, exhaling. _Maybe there's hope for her yet,_ Hermione thought happily. _She's a wonderful girl, and I hope this is just the beginning. I wonder what kind of person she'll be when she finally finishes this internship._

Hermione continued with her paperwork, but stopped as she felt a tingling sensation on her forearm. She pulled her left sleeve upwards before brushing her thumb over the scarred letter M. Was it just her, or did her scar seem to look redder than usual? _Just a rash,_ Hermione told herself firmly, focusing back on her paper. _I'll deal with it later, it's probably nothing serious._

~0~

Draco saw the owl as soon as he left the train station, its feathers contrasting the bright summer sky. It was the snowy-gray one his assistant, Corey, owned. He walked just below the lamp post the owl was perched in. After the two made eye contact, the owl dropped the note onto Draco's hands, hooted, and flew away.

 _I told Corey not to mail me unless it was important,_ Draco thought. _This better be good._

He unwrapped the letter. It was quickly scribbled on a scrap of paper: _EMERGENCY: AURORS INVESTIGATING OFFICE. MAY INVESTIGATE MALFOY MANOR. PLEASE ARRIVE ASAP._

 _What could they possibly want with me?_ Draco thought, frustrated. He knew one entrance to the Ministry of Magic just a block away from the train station. He had a fool-proof plan to see if she worked there, and it would take just a few minutes to go and check if his hunch was right.

But he wondered why the Aurors were looking into the Malfoy's interests after so long. He had kept his head down as much as possible, to prove that he no longer cared for the Dark Arts. He thought about Astoria, knowing she would be trying to solve the business problem during his absence, and how Aurors would probably find every reason to tear his business apart for the grounds of finding something suspicious. He wondered why Harry Potter wanted to look into his business, and why it had taken him so long to do so.

But he was also so close to possibly finding Gemini. _Just a block away._

Draco sighed deeply as he made his way to a dilapidated building and used a Floo Network fireplace to head to Wiltshire. _I'll look for her as soon as I can,_ he told himself as he made his way out of the fireplace and into the employee lounge of his office. _And anyway, if Slughorn put her there, then she'll still be in the Ministry after a week or so, right? Right?_

Draco hoped.


	15. A Meeting and A Bribe

Chapter 14

The library across Gay Hussar, beside Starbucks, and was a tall, dilapidated, three-storey brick building that looked like it was due for a demolishing any day. Its windows were shattered, yet Gemini couldn't see anything past the holes. Harry told her that it had the same enchantments the Leaky Cauldron had that made muggles look past it, but Gemini wondered how it was possible for her to go undetected when she walked up the stairs and opened the doors that looked like it was hammered shut by nails and plywood but yanked opened by hoodlums, especially in a crowded street filled with cars, pedestrians, and nearby patrons in the restaurants scattered around Greek Street.

Her question was quickly answered when she saw a dotty-looking woman climb the stairs and nonchalantly opened the large door and stepped in, the door making a loud thud as it closed. No one watched her as she climbed the steps, and below the steps, a muggle businessman looked around him for the source of the sound, but she noticed that he never once glanced at the building. Gemini walked up to the building and did the same.

The interior was a different story, and for a second Gemini thought she was teleported to Hogwarts' library, only much bigger. The library's lobby was decorated with tasteful rugs and chandeliers, and two librarian stations on either side. There were shelves as far as she could see, as well as tables and chairs nearby. In front of her was a grand staircase that lead to a second floor, where she could see more bookshelves and a few doors with velvet ropes. The windows were immaculate stained-glass artworks of some of the brightest wizards in history, with Merlin gracing the window on the far left. The old lady who just entered was busy talking to one of the librarians on the left.

"Surprised to see you here." A familiar voice said on her right. Gemini turned to see Arnold Longbottom emerging from between two shelves, an empty book cart in tow. He wore a gray shirt the librarians wore, along with a nametag on his chest. His dark brown hair had grown slightly longer since she last saw him, and his green eyes showed that he was obviously happy to see her. "Hi…Gemini."

"Hi, Arnold." Gemini said politely. "You work here?"

"Assistant to the Head of the Archives." He said as he led her to the right librarian station. He entered the small doorway and parked his cart at the back before turning to face her from the counter, a wide, cheery smile on his face. "Mr. Blake's doing some research on Chinese wizards, so I'm on librarian duty 'till he gets back. What about you? And what about your internship?"

"Doing great." Gemini replied, not wanting to repeat her ordeal in Knockturn Alley for a third time. "Currently working for the Auror Office, and I think I could really see myself joining them."

"Wow, that's awesome!" Arnold said eagerly, but was quickly shushed by a nearby librarian. He leaned on the counter to whisper. "And the snake I gave you?"

"Orion's fine. He's actually gotten some new fangs today, or at least, really tiny white dots on his gums." Gemini said cheerfully. "Do you know what breed he is, though? Because he's gotten really big in the last two weeks and at this rate you might have just given me an Anaconda and I don't think it's going to be the most inconspicuous pet."

"Not sure." He shrugged. "I'll be sure to send an owl to my uncle and ask when I get home later. He's still in the Amazon, so it could be a while."

"Thank you—oh right, your family's in the Three Broomsticks now, right?"

"Yup, the apartment just above it." He said uneasily. Gemini knew there was something he didn't want to discuss about it. "So…how can I help you?"

"I'm doing a report about the Second Wizarding War. Know where I can find books about it?"

"A book? We have an entire bookcase about it." He laughed nervously. "Follow me."

Arnold took her hand and led her to the bottom of the staircase. It was only when he started to climb did he awkwardly let go, blushing profusely, though Gemini just smiled politely, trying to act like she didn't notice. Arnold shyly went slightly ahead, looking back at her from time to time. There were less wizards on the second floor. Gemini asked where the doors led to, and Arnold explained that they were special archives, including important genuine historical artifacts, papers, and, unlike normal libraries, memory duplicates, which wizards could use with a pensieve.

Finally, Arnold stopped in front of a book case. "Here we go, Second Wizarding War." He pointed. "If you're writing about the history of the Second War, you might wanna skip on the books with Rita and Raymond Skeeter as the author. Too unreliable. I'd rather we don't have their books on catalog, but our library is pretty big and we have to keep every kind of book here."

"Don't have to tell me twice." Gemini said as she looked through the books. She pulled a large red one. "I'd rather use Hermione Granger's book on the war. She's the one reading the report, so hopefully she'll get a kick at me using hers as a reference."

"If you don't mind me asking…" Arnold started as he watched Gemini select several books. "What's this report for?"

"I have to write a report good enough so Hermione will see that I belong in the Auror's Office, so I have to write about something Dark Arts-y."

"So basically a history book on the war? Let me help you with that." Despite her protests, Arnold snapped his fingers and a book cart came rolling towards him.

"Thanks." Gemini said, dropping the books. "Not exactly, though. History's written by the victors, and I was kind of hoping to write it on a Dark Wizard's perspective."

"Because you've had a lot of training in Slytherin." Arnold muttered. Gemini giggled but shrugged. "That's actually a good idea. Apart from our archives of interrogations of Death Eaters and those allied to Voldemort, we don't have any book like that. Wait, so how are you planning to write it?"

 _How_ am _I planning to write this?_ Gemini quickly formed an outline. "Maybe I'd start with an objective run-through on the Second Wizarding War up to the Battle of Hogwarts, and then explain the differences between how the Dark side saw it, possibly an analysis on what their strengths and weaknesses were, and finally what could have happened if they won and how to prevent another war from occurring."

"That doesn't sound very Auror-like."

"Aurors have to understand Dark Wizards and Dark Artifacts, even if they fight against it. That way, they know what they're dealing with. I want Hermione to see that I know how to think like the enemy so she'll know I'm qualified to join the training program—and, that's the last book."

"Great, let's go sit." Arnold put his hands on the cart. "There are a bunch of chairs not far from here."

They walked down an aisle of books, Gemini planning her report and Arnold giving helpful suggestions now and then. They reached an empty square in the middle of the book cases, and with one tap of his wand, Arnold made the books stack on one table. "Thank you, Arnold." Gemini smiled. "I think I can take it from here."

"W-w-wait..." Arnold said, looking like he was working up an excuse not to leave. "I think I can help you. With the first part, at least. The history part."

"How?" Gemini exhaled sharply. "Look, Arnold, if it's about what you said in Hogsmeade…"

"I have a N.E.W.T. in History of Magic." Arnold said, his voice wobbly.

"No way." Gemini said disbelivingly. "There's no way anyone would last two years with Professor Binns, let alone get in a N.E.W.T. class with Professor Binns."

"Actually, I slept through Professor Binns' class for two years." Arnold grinned. "I was the only student in his class who stayed after fifth year."

"So how did you—?"

"Self-study." He said rather proudly. "I stay awake long enough to know the topics he drones about, take note, and then spend time in the library studying it. There's a lot more to the Second Wizarding War than he discusses, seeing as he only talks about the major events of history."

"Arnold…"

"Let me help you." He said, his voice appealing. "You won't regret it. I'm pretty much a walking encyclopedia of information on history. You won't regret it."

"Won't it be really awkward, though? I mean, you did say…"

"I know, I know!" He blushed. "But I don't mix my social life when it comes to history. Promise."

It was really obvious he was doing it for her, and not for history. Gemini was not beneath seizing opportunities when it was handed to her willingly, but taking advantage of someone who had a little crush on her seemed pretty low, desperate even. _But then again, he knows his history. Maybe he really can help me…_

"Fine." Gemini rolled her eyes. "But I swear to Merlin, if you try to make this into some gender-bent, wizarding version of Flipped, I don't care if I finish my report in a library in Northumberland."

He looked at her questioningly. "What's a 'Flipped'?"

"Oh…right. Muggle stuff." She sat down. He sat on the chair across her. "So where do we start?"

"I think I should start with telling you a detailed history. Do you have a quill and some parchment? You might want to take notes."

Gemini brought it out of her bag. "Can you do it objectively? I know your dad was part of Dumbledore's Army and all, but I'd like it to start as unbiased as possible."

Arnold nodded. "I've been reading history for years, it's mostly biased on the ultimate winners. But you learn how to sort out biases when you get used to it. Now, to understand the Second Wizarding War, you need to understand what lead to the _First_ Wizarding War. Do you know everything about that already? No? Well, aren't you glad that you have me…"

Arnold started slowly, trying to recall everything he knew about history. But he quickly started to gain momentum, and before both of them knew it, he stopped double-checking his facts by looking for books that could confirm his statements—all of which were correct—and was on a roll, telling history like a child's story memorized from heart. Gemini would ask questions every now and then, clarifying some minor details she had never learned from Professor Binns. She learned that during the Ministry's Fall, Harry, Hermione, and Ron were attending Victoire's parents' wedding and escaped to a secret flat not far from where she lived. She learned about Harry's connection with Voldemort, something Professor Binns would only mention in passing though never thoroughly explained.

Arnold never once stuttered or looked nervous, speaking like she wasn't there to intimidate him, and while writing down details of Arnold's explanation, she would look up from time to time and smile at his newfound confidence. He spoke like a teacher who really loved his job, his back straight, eyes bright, his hands making gestures as he spoke.

"And that's basically everything you need to know." Arnold finished after almost half an hour.

"Wow, there goes the first part of my report." Gemini grinned as she finished writing. "Thank you so much!"

"Happy to help. It feels good to know that choosing a N.E.W.T. class in History of Magic wasn't for nothing." Arnold said. "But…er, how do you plan to do the next part of your report?"

Gemini's smile faded. "Right." She said tightly, but an idea came to her head and she smiled at him. "Didn't you say there were archives of Death Eater interrogations?"

"Yeah…" He said slowly. "They're basically memories of their trials and a couple of interviews before they were sent to Azkaban. Why…oh."

"Can I see them?"

Arnold pursed his lips and said, his voice strangled. "Well, you see…there's a process to get access to the archives…it's mostly paperwork…"

"Great, I'll do it. When can I get in?"

"It's not…um, the Head of Archives won't be back until August. If I give him your approval form the moment he gets back, then I guess…two months from now."

"Are you fucking kidding me?" Gemini exploded. Downstairs, she heard a loud shush, and she lowered her voice. "I don't have two months! I'm submitting my report in two months! Isn't there any way I can get in now?"

He shrugged apologetically. "Not if you're the Minister of Magic. Sorry."

Gemini sighed in frustration. "But aren't you his assistant? You could get into the archives if you wanted to."

"Yeah…" Arnold grimaced. "But I'd be breaking rules and I could get into a lot of trouble, Gemini…I don't know…"

She heard that line used in the same context loads of times. In the orphanage, when she was thirteen and wanted to sneak off to the nearby circus with the older kids. In her fourth year, when she forgot her homework in the library and had to find a way to get it back in the middle of the night without getting caught. And in her fifth year, when she needed a little help with her O.W.L.s in Alchemy. At thirteen, Gemini learned that she was beautiful, and at fourteen, she learned that she could that to seduce boys to her advantage. She was never a fan of using her looks to manipulate boys who had crushes on her, and would be disgusted by witches of any Hogwarts house use their charm to get boys to do their bidding, She would use it sparingly, when there was no other option, and she hated being a witch who downgraded herself because she needed the help of a wizard.

 _But there's no other way…_ Gemini thought hopelessly, gritting her teeth."Really?" She asked huskily. She widened her eyes innocently and pouted sadly. "I would do _anything_ to see those archives."

She wordlessly watched him, waiting for him to read in between the lines. And like the few boys she had to control that way, he did the same protocol of scanning the nearby area, making sure they were alone. _He's just like all the other boys,_ Gemini thought triumphantly, carefully watching his body language. _I've got this._

Finally, he sighed. "I can get you in the archives."

"Awesome. So can I see them now?"

"Not today," He shook his head, "next week. But there is a catch."

 _Right._ Gemini thought tightly. _He's probably going to ask me out to some deserted motel in the middle of nowhere, or maybe in his office if he's so backed-up._ "What do you want?"

"One date with you." He said, tilting his head. "Saturday night, you, me…at the Leaky Cauldron."

"The Leaky Cauldron?" That caught Gemini off-guard. "You mean at your place?"

"Not the apartment, down at the pub area."

"Where your parents can see us?"

"I help my parents run the pub on Saturdays. We can just call it a dinner if you don't want to call it a date. Or if you don't want to be seen by anyone we know, we can always just go somewhere else…" He said politely, his smile genuinely warm. Gemini wondered if it really was.

"The Leaky Cauldron's fine. So… _just_ dinner?" She prodded. _Are you that dense?_

"Just dinner." He agreed. "Contrary to popular belief, I'm not trying to get into your pants in exchange for the archives. I'm not a wolf, you know."

Gemini blushed. _Why is he so nice? What game is he trying to play?_ "Oh…but wait, I have something on Saturday. Can we make it Friday night?"

He smiled. "Sounds great. I get off at six, so I'll meet you there seven?"

"It's a date." Gemini said, finding it in her to smile back. _Who knows, maybe I'll have fun._


	16. Gemini's First

Chapter 15

There was a knock above her cubicle and she looked up to see Harry looking down at her workplace. "And now your watch has ended." He said somberly.

"You watch Game of Thrones too?"

"On occasion." He grinned. "But seriously though, it's already six. Congratulations on surviving Auror Office Week with no major injuries!"

Gemini laughed. "Thanks, Harry."

"You're not very casual today." Harry observed, noticing her brown sleeveless shift dress and kitten heels. "Is this your way of a farewell or you going out tonight?"

"I actually have plans tonight." Gemini said as she collected her papers with her report and put it in her satchel. The rest of the papers she handed over to Harry.

"Is that plan a date?" Harry asked dryly.

"Are you trying to act like my dad?" Gemini retorted.

"Hey, he's just asking for Auror Office purposes." Ron said defensively. His head popped up next to Harry's. "Heard from the wife that you're planning to be an Auror, so we thought you might want to know what to expect. When you apply, the Ministry does this intense interview on you with Veritaserum and they ask a bunch of really personal questions to see if you're really going to help fight the Dark Arts. That includes the people you're dating: you get put on probation just for dating someone linked to the dark arts."

"If that's your way of asking who I'm going out with tonight, I fear for both your daughters." Gemini scowled, causing Harry and Ron to burst out laughing. "But if you must know, I'm meeting Arnold Longbottom tonight."

"Neville's son!" Harry said approvingly. "Well, that's a good. Any kid of Neville's is a good guy."

"He is. Now if there's nothing else I can do for you, Harry…"

"Just have fun." Harry smiled. "And I hope to see you back here for Auror Training soon!"

"Right!" Ron chimed. "I don't want them begging at my door to come back just because you haven't replaced me."

"Oh, I hope not." Gemini said, shaking both their hands. "Thank you for the experience, though. Just one question, though: do you mind if I see that map again?"

"Sure thing." Ron got the map out and handed it to her. Gemini opened it and tapped her wand. The green dots started appearing. She searched for the Ministry of Magic, and sure enough, she found her green dot on the map. It wasn't as green as it was last Monday, and was a faded green that almost blended into the parchment. Ron noticed Gemini was looking at it. "Shouldn't be long now before that dot disappears. Maybe a week—two weeks tops."

Gemini thought so too, but something about that green dot made her feel unsure and nervous. "So I'm not a Dark Witch or anything?"

"Not unless you've done any Dark Magic." Harry assured her. "Now, go have fun."

"I'll try. See 'ya!"

~0~

Arnold proved to be a much better date than Gemini expected. As soon as she stepped in the Leaky Cauldron, Arnold was there to greet her, still dressed in his librarian uniform and a leather jacket, gingerly taking her hand as he guided her across the pub. The Leaky Cauldron was a dim, shabby-looking place but looked quaint and had a home-like feel. Gemini saw that Arnold was leading her to one corner of the room, which was ostensibly surrounded by candles.

"Ignore the candles, mum and dad found out I was having someone over and thought the pub was too dark." Arnold muttered embarrassingly. "There's a parlour room behind the bar, if you don't like being this visible…"

"Here's fine." Gemini said, taking a candle and placing it in the middle of their table. "But aren't they scared of a fire hazard?"

"My thoughts exactly." He grumbled, and with a wave of a wand put out at least half of the candles surrounding them. The rest of the lit candles hovered around the room, resembling the in Hogwarts' Great Hall. He sat across her, but looked at the bar and groaned. Gemini looked at the bar. She recognized Professor Longbottom talking giddily with a blonde woman wearing an apron, who could be none other than Arnold's mother, Hannah Longbottom.

She stifled a laugh. "Maybe your parents are just happy for you. Is this your first date?" Arnold nodded. Gemini waved at them, and his parents waved giddily before they proceeded to sneak away, pretending like they were busy with something else.

Despite herself, Gemini found Arnold very sociable, like that short time they had on their last day in Hogsmeade. They talked about what they did after Hogwarts, and Gemini felt so relaxed that she felt like she could tell him about her incident in Borgin and Burke's. He would wave at some people he knew at Hogwarts, noticeably uncaring that he was seen with a Slytherin girl. Gemini recognized some Hogwarts students passing by, and though she was apprehensive at first when they looked at her, she soon stopped caring as they passed by and focused on talking to Arnold.

"I'm surprised you're not asking for a paper bag for your head." Arnold said dryly after a waiter served them tea, leaky soup, and a slice of steak and kidney pie.

She shrugged. "I work for a Gryffindor, sorted papers with Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs, and worked for an office whose mission is to basically hunt down Slytherins. At one point, Houses and being seen with someone not from your House stops being a big deal—pretty much like your mum and dad. You know. The ones subtly watching us upstairs on the balcony."

Arnold turned sharply and saw them. He sighed. "You have no idea how embarrassing this is for me."

"I grew up in a Muggle orphanage." Gemini said flatly. "So if you're talking about lack of privacy, believe me, I've been there."

"I love my parents, don't get me wrong," Arnold said, taking a sip of tea "but I feel so trapped. Half of the year, I'm stuck helping them out, and then for the other half I'm known to other houses as 'Professor Longbottom's kid'. Hell, I've never even rode the Hogwarts Express!"

"Never?"

"Well except for first year, but when dad found out he could just take me along, they decided it would be much easier and safer if he and I went together to and from school." Arnold said, the bitterness in his voice mild. "How does it feel like seeing a moping Gryffindor?"

"Pretty normal, I've seen less-than-cunning Slytherins." Gemini smiled.

Arnold wearily smiled at her, though looked happy when he checked his watch. "It's not even eight yet. What do you say we finish up and then go somewhere else?"

Gemini raised a questioning eyebrow. "Somewhere else?"

"Again with the—er, Diagon Alley's pretty nice at this time."

Gemini sat there, wordlessly. And then she looked up and saw that Arnold's parents were still watching their son's first date, unfold. "Right. As it so happens, I'm not that hungry for pie right now." She said meaningfully.

"Good." He smiled, pushing away his fork. "As it just so happens, I know where we can go."

~0~

Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlor was packed with wizards their age that after getting their cones—both of them getting cheese-flavoured ice cream with chocolate syrup—they decided to walk around Diagon Alley. Without Arnold's parents bearing down on him and Gemini uncaring of the stares from people who saw her and Arnold together, they had even more fun talking to each other, talking freely and laughing loudly than they dared to in the pub.

"Yes, and McLaggen almost got away with it…until he lost the other half of the candy. And that is why Madam Pomfrey now orders Skiving Snackbox antidotes by the box from George Weasley." Arnold laughed, drunk with the moment. They stopped immediately at the entrance of Knockturn Alley and Arnold took her hand and avoided it. Gemini noticed that Arnold was releasing her hand at a slow pace, being far from the alley entrance by the time he let go.

"How do you know all of this?" She asked.

"My mom does a bit of Healing training, and is good friends with Madam Pomfrey. You can't imagine all the stories she tells her, some things you'd think are downright rumors really aren't." Arnold smiled, but it quickly turned into a grimace. "Hey, by the way...I hope you don't mind me asking, but there was this rumor about you I heard in the Gryffindor commons…"

 _How much did Teddy say?_ Gemini thought instinctively as she bit her lip, feeling the goosebumps on her skin grow like a traitorous lie detector. She was glad that Arnold gave her his jacket before they left the ice cream parlour, or he would have seen the bumps on her arms. _I can deny it. Guys always lie about hooking up with pretty girls if they think they can get away with it._ "What rumor?"

"I heard you and the other Slytherins called you a half-blood." Arnold said quietly. "Even if you don't know that for sure."

Gemini sighed in relief. _At least it's not that thing about being queen. That would have been embarassing._ "Is that it?" She asked.

"Yeah, but it's not true, is it? I mean, I heard some Muggle-borns go to Slytherin if they possess the very qualities House Slytherin instilled." He looked at her and noticed her expression. "No…really?"

"Arnold…yes, it's true. But I can explain! I know it's not logical, and no amount of logic can ever explain the concept of instincts, but…I just know. Instinct—and not just mine, but everyone else in Slytherin feels like I have at least one magical parent. You've seen what I can do, and no Muggle-born could ever be that good."

He shook his head. "Father taught me not to think less of Muggle-borns, seeing as in his year—"

"I know about Hermione Granger, but no offense to her, she had to stuff her head in a book before she became brilliant about the magical world!" She snapped. "If I were Muggle-born and had the talents I had now, I'd be in Ravenclaw. But I'm in Slytherin, which proves that I have at least one magical parent."

"Gemini…" Arnold cringed, completely unconvinced. "That's not enough proof to say you have magical parents. The Sorting Hat is known to make a few unlikely decisions, but…"

"He bases it on family and values. That means my parents were likely in Slytherin, otherwise I'd be in Ravenclaw by now." She retorted, her lips pursed.

"If they were Slytherin, don't you think there are a lot of discrepancies?" He pointed out gently. "First, you were born around the middle of the Second Wizarding War. I find it unreasonable for your parents to give you away, especially if you were Slytherin, seeing as your parents could have easily pledged allegiance to someone who was the heir of Slytherin, and they wouldn't have been harmed. They'd have no reason to send you away."

"They could have been seventeen years old and eloped, and later regretted it and sent me away." Gemini said tautly, realizing how far-fetched that sounded.

"Second, and this nails the coffin to the first point…" Arnold continued, "A Muggle orphanage? Slytherin parent? Believe me, no self-respecting Slytherin wizard would ever do that to their kid."

For a second, Gemini realized that he had a point. _No he doesn't!_ She thought indignantly as she rolled her eyes. _He doesn't get it! No one out of Slytherin gets it! Our instincts differ from theirs and they'll never truly understand it._ "Look, can we just drop the topic, please?" She scowled.

"Do you still think you have magical parents?"

"Yes. Do you still think I'm Muggle-born?"

"Possibly. Agree to disagree?"

Gemini smiled tightly, nodding. They reached a small plaza just near the Leaky Cauldron, and Arnold led her to an empty bench. The plaza was scattered with a few young couples sitting on benches, a few who recognized the two but were too distracted with each other to care. There were dim streetlights around the plaza, and other than the lights coming from the shops that were still opened, the place was getting very dark.

"Can I tell you a secret?" Arnold asked quietly.

"What is it?"

"You might hate me now, but remember how I said it'd take you two months to get into the archives?" She nodded. "Well…you're part of the Ministry. You could have gotten in that day. I'm sorry, I just thought you'd never go out with me unless it was a matter of life and death."

She looked at him sharply, her eyes squinting at him. He smiled guiltily, ready for the backlash, but she merely scoffed and leaned back on him. "You ass." She muttered. "Should have been sorted to Slytherin…such a Slytherin thing to do. That was clever. Frustrating—my heart almost stopped when you said two months, mind you—but that was clever."

Arnold sighed, glad to get that out of his chest. "I really don't want to go home just yet." He said dreamily, looking back at the sky.

"Me neither."

"I live in an apartment above the pub. It's four floor above and on a noisy night you can still hear the drunken customers down below." He looked at her. "I know I've already overstepped my boundaries with the whole parent thing, but out of curiosity, where are you staying in London?" She told him. "Right, Abigail Flint. Must be a swanky place then."

"I can't afford the broom closet with my salary. I mean, it's a nice place and all, and Abby's really nice enough to let me stay until I can afford a place of my own, but I don't want to be living on charity my whole life. The orphanage, and now Abby? Nothing beats the feeling of buying a place of your own with your own money, you know?" He looked at her and exhaled. She laughed. "Oh right. I guess we're kind of on the same boat."

"Kind of." Arnold said, looking back at the sky. He courageously reached for Gemini's hand, and she agreeably leaned her head on his shoulder, and the two sat in contented silence, both of them not wanting to return to the place they each called home. Suddenly, he turned to her. "But both of us don't have to suffer through this, you know."

Gemini sat up straight. "What do you mean?"

"You could live with me!" Arnold said, quickly blushing and mentally cursing his inability to get his words out right. "I don't mean live with me like in the Longbottom Family apartment, but in the inn just above the pub. The bathrooms are communal, but there are so few tenants there that it's not bad at all."

"At the inn?" Gemini asked incredulously. "I don't know. It'd be a long time before I can get a real apartment…"

"It's basically an apartment, you get your own room. A few times, I've seen people stay in the inn for months, so it's pretty okay. Plus people rarely stay in the inns. Currently, it'd be you and that Bulgarian bloke staying for the weekend. After that, the second floor's practically yours."

"Tempting…" Gemini said, "but still, I'd be living on an intern's salary."

"Well, how much do you make?"

"A little over three hundred Galleons a month."

Arnold squinted and mentally calculated, and then smiled. "Well you're in luck, it's five galleons a night, so around a hundred and fifty galleons a month, though I know mum makes discount deals for long-term stays. Even includes free breakfast."

"Really?" Gemini asked, finally interested at the thought of buying her own place. The room wasn't hers technically, but she was buying it for herself, and somehow that felt enough. "It's that affordable?"

Arnold shrugged. "You'd be surprised that the rooms look better than the pub itself. Not many people would expect it, so they don't think about spending the night at the inn; that's why mum keeps the prices low. Plus we have a fireplace in the parlour at the back where you can take the Floo Network to work. It's actually a pretty good deal."

Gemini sat quietly, weighing in her options. She promised Abigail that she wouldn't be settling for the first possible place of her own, and she'd be going to a good place if she moved out. _It does seem like a good deal,_ Gemini thought. _But I'd be living on almost half my salary every month._ She thought of the weekend shopping trips she had with Abigail to the high-end Muggle and Wizarding shops, and how she would give up a lot of luxuries now that she was living on her own. And if she failed and couldn't sustain a budget…Gemini hated failing, and hated the idea of going to her friends when she failed. _But it's a place of my own…_ she thought stubbornly.

Finally, she made her decision. _I don't need a lot of clothes, anyway._ "The place isn't affordable because I could get Dragon Pox in the rooms, is it?" She asked. Arnold shook his head. "Then I guess you got yourself a new tenant."

"That's great!" He said cheerfully. "How soon can you move in?"

"Asking me to move in on the first date? That was fast." Gemini asked sarcastically, laughing. "Kidding! I can go tomorrow if that's fine. But still, thank you, Arnold. You don't know how much I just want to get on my own feet right now."

Arnold opened his mouth to welcome her, but stuttered. "Did you just call this a date?" He asked, his heart soaring.

She smiled slyly and spoke coyly. "Maybe, maybe not. But I had fun…and I'd like to do this again sometime."

They went back to the Leaky Cauldron after another half hour of talking until Gemini decided she needed to go home. Arnold was visibly relieved that his mother was tending to a large group of people in the dining room. Gemini didn't want the uneasy introduction with his parents either and they both walked briskly to the entrance of the pub and out onto Charing Cross Road. It was almost nine in the evening, the streets filled with only a few pedestrians and light traffic. The two of them stood just a few feet away from the door, staring at each other, the tension between them undeniably difficult to ignore.

"So…I guess this is goodnight—for now." Gemini smiled uneasily, her weight on the balls of her feet, ready to tiptoe for that awkward goodnight peck on the cheek. "I'll see you tomorrow, I guess?"

"Uhh…yeah." Arnold said wheezily. "I'll be here—well obviously I will 'cause I live here, but, ya'know, I-I-I'm just—"

In the midst of his stutter, Gemini quickly tip-toed and kissed him on the cheek. Arnold gasped, shocked, and placed a hand on his face.

"Well, that was fun." She giggled before hailing a cab and getting in. "Goodnight!"

Arnold waved weakly as the cab sped away, his hand still pressed against his cheek. _Best. Day. Ever._ He felt like a firecracker in the second before its explosion, and it was all he could not to scream in delight. He punched the air in joy of his magical first date, wishing he could take his memory and play it over and over in a peniseve.

By the time he went back in, his mother wasn't busy, cleaning up one of the tables. "Your girlfriend left already?" She asked sadly.

"She's not my girlfriend, mum." Arnold said, but was dreamily thinking: _not yet._ "And she'll be staying at the inn for a while—at the _inn_ , not with _me_. She's moving in tomorrow."

"Oh, okay." She beamed, failing to hide her smile behind a hand. "She's such a pretty girl, Arnie, I can't wait to officially talk to her. I better make sure one of the rooms are clean…"

"Let me do it 'ma, I'm not busy right now." Arnold smiled as he went to the stairs. "Besides, I sold her in on staying here, might as well do it myself."

Arnold went up the stairs to the inn and opened up Room 11, a quaint-looking room with a view of Diagon Alley. It was the best-looking room in his opinion, since the other rooms' windows were either looking onto a brick wall or the courtyard, and during the mornings it was very light and airy.

 _It's not a penthouse room, especially not one Abigail Flint's family can afford to buy._ Arnold said, running a finger over the mantelpiece to check for dust. _But hopefully she'll like it._

Part of Arnold was still guilty about lying to Gemini earlier. Staying at an inn, especially for months, costed more than he made her believe, even with his mother's discount, and he wasn't even including the cost of meals and other daily necessities. Still, he didn't think it was a bad idea. After all, he'd be paying the rest of her rent in secret.

Now that Gemini wasn't there, the weariness of a day at work came crawling back, aching his arms and feet, and the silence of the room left him to his thoughts. "Can't believe she doesn't remember what happened in fifth year—surely she would have mentioned it by now, shouldn't she? I'd remember something like that, and I still do." He sighed, brushing his hand against his face. "Either way, this room is the least I could do for her."


	17. The Inn Life

Chapter 16

Arnold was right: the room looked better than the pub. The bed was comfortable, the furniture polished, and she could see Diagon Alley from her window. Even Abigail, who had helped her move in the following day, begrudgingly admitted that the room was nice, and slept over. By Sunday, as the two went downstairs, Abigail wished her luck now that Gemini was on her own feet.

"I'm so happy for you, Gem!" Abigail squealed as she hugged her. "Keep my key to the apartment. If you ever need anything, don't _ever_ hesitate to go to me. You hear?"

"Of course, Abby." Gemini promised. "I'll miss having you as an alarm clock."

"I'll send you a howler every morning then." Abigail laughed. "You and Orion take care, okay?"

"We will."

She sighed dramatically. "Here's to the queen finally standing on her own. Lunch at work?"

"Abby!"

"Right, right, I'm go—"

"Oh hey, Abigail." Arnold said as he passed with a tray of food. "Nice seeing you here."

Abigail watched as Arnold served the customers. "What is Arnold Longbottom doing here?"

"Didn't I tell you? His family runs the inn. That's how I found out about the inn."

Abigail pursed her lips. She tugged Gemini to follow her, stopping just beneath the staircase. "Arnold Longbottom? You go on one date with the guy and suddenly you're moving in with him?!"

"I'm not moving in with him!" Gemini whispered loudly. "His parents own an inn, and I'm living there."

Abigail opened her mouth to retorted, but hesitated. She sighed. "How's Teddy?"

Gemini scowled. "Haven't seen him in almost two weeks. Why?"

"Any plans on leaving his dog ass?"

"Why?"

"Oh I don't know, you and Longbottom…"

"Are not serious." Gemini finished firmly.

Abigail gave Gemini a serious look. Finally, she softened, sighing. "Just…be careful, Gem. I don't want you to get hurt."

"I won't Abby." Gemini promised, hugging her. "Everything is going to be fine from here on out."

But unfortunately for Gemini, it wouldn't.


	18. Dreams and Prophecies

Chapter 17

The following Monday, Gemini was assigned to the Wizengamot Administration Services. The Head of the Division gave her the option between doing paperwork and taking minutes of hearings. She was so done with paperwork with the AdReg Division that she headed down to the tenth floor before the elevator she took went back down. Being secretary to the Wizengamot hearings was not as exciting as her internship in the Auror Office the week before, but it was better than being stuck in an office sorting out papers, and the court room in the tenth floor resembled more of a classroom than a Muggle court. Because she was simply a stenographer, all she had to do was make sure that the enchanted quill was not defective, and it was writing the correct words onto the parchment. It was like learning again, but this time she was learning the rules of the wizarding world.

It was very difficult to assemble all the members of the Wizengamot that on that day it was case after case after case, and Gemini was bored with watching between the two. Her only source of entertainment came around the fifth case, when a leak started dripping onto the hat of Minister Shacklebolt, who tried ignoring the drips until his damp hat started sagging down his head. By the seventh case, Minister Shacklebolt had enough.

"Ms. Ridley," Minister Shacklebolt called her after Aurors escorted the defendant out. "Could you go upstairs and get an Unspeakable to deal with this leak? I'm sure that quill will still be functioning for a few more trials. Tell them there's something up Courtroom ten."

Gemini nodded and exited the courtroom, down the hall, and up the stairs to the Department of Mysteries. There was only a black door along a bare tiled hallway, and despite waiting minutes for an Unspeakable to pass by, there was no one. She wondered what laid beyond the door, placing a hand over the door knob.

"Don't!" A voice behind her shouted alarmingly. Gemini turned around to see an Unspeakable towards her. "Are you trying to get lost?"

"Sorry!" Gemini said. "I've been waiting a while now. Minister Shacklebolt's downstairs and there's some leak on this floor. He asked me to get someone to check it out."

"Must be from the Brain Room again…" She heard the Unspeakable mutter as he opened the door. Gemini saw a dimly lit round blue room with several black doors, and despite the fact that there was no breeze coming out of the room, she suddenly felt like she was shivering. The Unspeakable turned back to her as he crossed the threshold of the door. "Ms. Ridley, tell Minister Shacklebolt that it'll be taken care of."

Gemini turned to go back downstairs, but stopped and turned back. "Hey, how did you know my…?"

She was no longer in the hallway, and was alone inside the blue room.

Gemini gasped. The floor looked like it was flooded with water, but as she stepped, the black marble made no sound. The room was circled with blank black doors, but she had no idea which one was the entrance, and more importantly, why she was there in the first place.

Gemini breathed heavily as she stepped close to one door, hoping that she wouldn't die just by pushing the door opened. She heard stories about the Department of Mysteries, and for all she knew, she could be attack by anything that lay behind. She gave the door a gentle push, but it wouldn't open. She pushed harder, but it wouldn't budge. She tried using her wand, but it still wouldn't crack. She tried pushing again, pushing her weight against the door.

As she tried to push the door opened, she smelled something familiar. It was the same scent over and over again. It was the same smell. She could smell books, vanilla, the Leaky Cauldron, and something else, something so familiar yet she couldn't place a finger on it. But the scent she couldn't recognize had a calming effect on her, making her less terrified of the room. She kept her nose slightly pressed against the door, knowing that there was something behind there waiting for her. She slid down to the floor, her back to the door, waiting. _Maybe if I wait here, the door will open,_ she thought happily. _They'll open the door. It will open._

She rocked herself back and forth, waiting patiently, the smell growing stronger and stronger.

 _Gemini._

She heard the name, and it was like a snap to break a reverie. "Where am I?" She whispered.

 _Gem…i…ni…_

It was coming from the door on her right, which seemed to be giving off an eerie glow. Gemini tentatively pushed it open, and it budged. The room was practically empty, though near her feet Gemini could see broken glass. Across the room, Gemini could see a glowing door. With nowhere else to go, Gemini stepped inside, closing the door behind her.

Apart from the glowing door, there was no other light source. Gemini was relieved that she chose to wear closed shoes, as she heard cracking glass from under her feet. From the distance, she could hear a ticking clock sound, but the light of the door couldn't reach the ends of the room, and she knew it would be unwise to follow the sound. After what seemed like miles, Gemini reached the door and pushed it open.

The next room looked like a large warehouse, the ceiling almost invisible in the dark. There were broken glass shards in this room as well, but from what Gemini could tell, this room was swept up a bit and the glass she heard on her feet sounded much smaller and fewer. There were rows upon rows of circular orbs, their colors and brightness varying. As soon as she stepped into the room, all the orbs dimmed. All except one, which glowed brightly even from afar.

Gemini walked towards the glowing orb. Along the way, she could hear whispers of voices coming from the orbs, but she couldn't catch more than a few words, almost as if whoever—or whatever—was in the orbs was afraid of her. The rows where the orbs were placed seemed rather recent and dusted out, but as she walked onwards towards the light, the sound of cracking glass stopped, the rows began to look older and dustier, and it looked as if this part of the room hasn't been touched in years.

Gemini finally got to the glowing orb's row. Unlike the other shelves near the door, this shelf was made of dark oak wood and looked really ancient, and next to the candle there was a faded sign labeled _1603._ She walked to the orb, which was just a few inches above her shoulders. The orb had a faded yellow sign, the wear and tear of time making it illegible apart from a few letters:

M. Le F y to M.T.W.

_e in_M_r_a_a_B_ck /A K._._em_n_Ri_l_

 _This is more than four hundred years old,_ Gemini thought as she reached out for it. The orb was warm to the touch, and the moment the orb was in her hand, Gemini heard a woman's whisper arise from the orb.

" _The Heir will rise…"_ the voice said, overpowering the sound of other whispers in the room. _"The Heir will rise from the unknowingness to take back what is theirs. Born at the year's end, born at the year's half. Died near the year's half, died near the year's end. Twice, the Lord will reign supreme, and thrice, the Heir shall fail, and no force on earth but his own shall stand in her way. And when the faithful servant has revolted and the faithful enemy has dropped his sword, the only one with the power to truly master Death shall reign both victor and loser…"_

 _What is this?_ Gemini thought, putting the orb close to her eyes to see the insides. But it was just a gray mist, and the voice started speaking again. _And why does this sound so familiar?_

She had no idea what the orb meant, and wearily placed it back in its spot. The other orbs began to slowly light up, and it dawned on Gemini that she was hopelessly stuck in this room. Terrified, she looked at her sides. At her left, she saw a door she swore wasn't there before. This time, however, a part of her instinct made her apprehensive of that door, and her instincts were telling her not to through that door.

 _Gemini…the door…_

She heard a voice beckon her. It sounded hoarse and strangled, but there was a certain familiarity to it that she found it in her not to be afraid. Slowly, Gemini walked towards the door, pushed it opened, and stepped inside.

The room looked like a stone version of courtroom ten, but colder and had a stone archway in the middle of the dais. Upon stepping into the room, Gemini felt drawn to the archway, a thin white mist moving in the center of it. She could hear the same voice again as she got nearer, but this time there was a female whispering alongside him. The woman voice was heavy with emotion, and Gemini thought the woman was about to scream or cry. She had never heard the voices before, but it seemed so familiar, almost in a calming manner.

Finally, she found herself just inches away from the mist.

 _Gemini…_ the male voice said. _Remember..._

Her instincts told her that the mist was dangerous, and ever since the necklace incident in Knockturn Alley, Gemini knew better than to touch what she did not understand. But standing in front of the arc gave her a sense of familiarity she could not understand, and Gemini slowly placed her hand in front of her before brushing her fingers against the mist and bringing it inside the arch.

She gasped as her vision quickly went dark, and slowly she couldn't feel her body anymore no matter how much she tried to move.

The darkness faded into a scene she couldn't recall, but she figured she must have been on her back because she was looking at a dim light source that looked like a chandelier. The light was quickly blocked by a figure looking down on her, and suddenly she felt very cold. She felt like she was apparating as that scene dissolved before her eyes and suddenly she was looking at what she thought was the night sky covered in trees. From the way the trees moved, she could tell that she was being carried, and she could hear a different male's voice say something repetitively, though she couldn't clearly understand what he was saying.

That dissolved and once again, Gemini could see nothing but darkness. This time, she could feel her body move, but when she looked down, it wasn't the corporate casual attire she was wearing, but a black robe. She was horrified at the sight of her hands, which were old and pale—even paler than her already-pale skin—and resembled a monster's hands than a seventeen-year old girl's hands.

The room was still dark, but a few feet away from her, she could see the shadow of someone standing in front of her. The figure's wand was drawn and pointed at her. She felt her own arm raise and point her wand at him. There were eyes now, eyes surrounding her, doing nothing but observing her and the other figure. They looked at her with menacing eyes, eyes rooting for the person across her. She didn't know why she felt so terrified.

" _Expelliarmus!"_

" _Avada Kedavra!"_

She didn't know where the voices came from, but a green light shot out of the wand she was holding. There was a big flash of light, and in the midst of the confusion, it was as if she saw the green light abruptly turned and was now flying towards her. Gemini remembered the pain she felt from that necklace and closed her eyes, breathing heavily as she waited for the spell to hit her. Her heart was the only thing she could hear as the spell moved towards her. One of the spells she heard was the Killing Curse, and Gemini gritted her teeth, ready to feel the pain that would most definitely come from it.

It didn't. "Uh…Miss?"

Gemini opened her eyes. She was back in the Department of Mysteries' hallway, the Unspeakable standing in front of her, looking questioningly. "W-what?"

"I said I'll deal with the leak." The Unspeakable repeated slower, like he was talking to a slow child. "You go back down and tell Minister Kingsley that it'll be taken care of. Got it?"

Gemini nodded and the Unspeakable passed her, his hand on the doorknob. Before he turned the knob, he looked back and saw that she was standing there, looking at him. "You might wanna not see past this door, mind you. This part's off limits for anyone who's not an Unspeakable and if there's a leak or something, it could be dangerous for your head."

Gemini looked away and slowly walked back to the stairs, stopping to lean on the wall when she heard him close the door. _What the fuck just happened?_ Her heart wasn't beating fast, as if the whole nightmare she experienced never was. Her hands were as they always were. She checked under her shoes and saw that there was no bit of glass under it. _Was that just a hallucination?_

She remembered the dream she had that day in Knockturn Alley, and part of her dreaded to think it was the same thing… _or worse,_ she gritted her teeth as she forced herself to go back downstairs.

She went back to the courtroom, where the leak had finally stopped. However, Minister Kingsley looked rather ill and distracted, and the Wizengamot had to take a break. Later an Unspeakable came to report that the leak was from the Brain Room. Gemini heard that the brains were kept in aquariums filled with potions that kept brains calm and not strangling each other or any Unspeakable in the room, a potion that was a strong hallucinogen to Wizards.

 _So that was it, then, just a dream?_ Gemini thought, relieved. She swore she could smell something while she was waiting by the door. _Yes, it was just a dream. A really bad, really weird dream. None of that happened. None._


	19. The Scorned Woman and the Gentleman

Chapter 18

The owl was on her window ledge when she came back from the bathroom. She recognized the owl, a tawny owl with a charcoal black beak. And the letter, like all the letters she got from it, was short and concise. They were no longer in Hogwarts, and she told him of her new living arrangements, so instead of a classroom and time, it was an address and a time. Like all the letters, it was unsigned.

It was a Saturday morning, and although it was Gemini's plan to finally go to the library to begin the next part of her report, it had been a while since she saw Teddy, and she was already getting restless. _Three weeks since he last called,_ Gemini mused as she put on a lacy black bra with matching panties. _That's the longest he's been without contacting me. Why so early, though? I guess I could work on the paper in the afternoon._

Gemini dressed in a salmon camisole top that highlighted her figure and wore an off-white cardigan over it. She paired it with dark blue jeans, flats, and her bird skull necklace, and looked decent enough that no one could ever guess that she was going to a motel on the outskirts of London to hook-up with someone who was off-limits. She made sure she had the right bag and was about to apparate until she heard a knock at the door.

"Gemini?" Arnold's voice called. "It's me."

Gemini opened the door. She was too excited to finally see Teddy after a long time that she didn't move aside and let him in, and stood in front of the door. "Hey." She smiled.

"Hey, good morning." He said warmly. He was dressed in his librarian uniform. "I'm about to head out for the library."

"On a Saturday?"

"I work half-day on Saturday." He explained. "And I was wondering if you have any plans for today because I thought you'd might want to start on—"

"Actually, I have plans for this morning." Gemini said ruefully, but smiled. "The Witch Watcher Head called me yesterday before I left work, though. She said the division's too dangerous so she worked out with Hermione that I'll be doing a bit of shadowing in the office and then I can leave after noon to work on my report. Maybe Monday?"

"Sure, Monday." Arnold smiled. "I'll see you later then."

Gemini waved. "Okay. Bye!"

Arnold stepped back, waving at her before he disapparated. Gemini closed her door, locking it from the inside. She stood still behind the door, noticing a heavy feeling in her gut. She thought it was because of the opportunity cost of hooking up with Teddy that she was losing time to write her report, and the heavy feeling was merely the guilt of a student who wasn't used to prioritizing her paper. She shrugged it off, got her bag, and apparated to the motel.

The motel was a run-down, cheap-looking building that was the epitome of every sleazy hookup place for every affair drama soap opera. Gemini frowned. _Yes, this is just a hookup, but could he do with a little class?_ Sighing, Gemini climbed the discreet steps, avoiding eye contact with the couple heading down the stairs. Finally, she found the room Teddy instructed her to enter. Making sure no one was nearby, Gemini used her wand to open the door and slipped in. She was a few minutes early and, feeling really aroused at the thought of another hookup, stripped down to her underwear and laid down on the bed.

The moment the clock struck nine, Gemini heard a key turn and Teddy entered. He gasped at the provocative sight of her on bed, a surprised look on his face. Gemini noticed dark circles forming around his eyes, and how weary he looked.

"Miss me?" Gemini asked invitingly, crossing her long, pale legs. Teddy's lips parted and his eyes had that familiar hungry wolfish look. "You look like hell."

Teddy dropped his bag on the ground, slowly walking towards her. She could see Teddy's shoulders heaving. As soon as he was close enough to the bed, Teddy yanked his shirt off and dropped himself on top of her, planting his lips hard on hers. "No more talking." He growled, pinning her arms above her head.

They spent the rest of the day in the motel room. By two in the afternoon, Gemini decided to take a shower. She felt mildly sore after three weeks' worth of catching up, but somehow there was still a heavy feeling inside of her, and felt different in a way she had never felt before. She snapped out of it when she felt the water beginning to run cold. She turned off the tap and wrapped a towel around herself and went out the bathroom. Teddy was still there, sitting on the edge of the bed, his face buried in his hands.

"Surprised you didn't join me." Gemini said as she stepped out of the bathroom. When he didn't respond, Gemini blinked at him. "Something wrong?"

Teddy stood up, his abs still glistening with sweat. His eyes looked glossy and his lips were pressed together in discomfort. "Gemini…I can't do this anymore." He said remorsefully, shaking his head.

"What do you mean?"

"I can't…I don't want to be fooling around behind Victoire's back anymore." He said ashamedly. "I don't want to spend the rest of my life sneaking off to Muggle motels to hook-up with you."

Gemini scoffed. "Okay, one: you told me to meet you here—we could have met at the Ritz if that floats your boat. And two: I never forced you into this. In fact, you're the one who started it on that night two years ago."

"I never said it was your fault, but the fault's from the both of us." He started pacing around the room, making Gemini feel tense.

"And you decide on this _after_ the afternoon here. How convenient." Gemini laughed cruelly, rolling her eyes. "For fuck's sake, Teddy, you've been saying that for years every time you've felt guilty."

"And now I mean it. I love Victoire, and I'm not going to risk it for this." He gestured at her. "Not anymore. Did you know that Victoire's dad—"

"I don't care about Victoire's dad." Gemini snapped. She wasn't in the mood to deal with another one of Teddy's guilt trips. "In case you haven't noticed, I haven't cared about Victoire ever since I started sleeping with her boyfriend, whom I knew was in a relationship with when I took my clothes off the first time."

"This is different, Gemini. You're not in school anymore. If I keep this up and you're not there, what's going to stop me from shagging some other witch?"

Gemini shrugged non-committedly. "Honestly, I don't care how many side chicks you have. I'm one of them, so I won't judge."

"That's the problem, Gemini!" Teddy yelled. "You know, I wouldn't mind leaving Victoire for you. You're pretty, given, and when you're not a bitch you're actually fun to be around. But you know what your problem is? There's a wall around you, and no matter how many times I get inside you, I don't think I—or anyone else—will ever get close enough to you."

She scowled. "What are you saying?"

"You're so damned shut out that you don't care! You think this is just some game! But I'm done playing…"

"Teddy…"

"I'm done being a fuck boy just because you'll never find love from anyone unless it's a younger male with an animal condition you can take advantage of!" He shrieked. Gemini glared at him, her back stiffly straight and her stare so poisonous that he felt a chill down his spine like he had just woken up a basilisk. "I-I'm sorry…shouldn't have said that…"

" _Take advantage of_?" Gemini repeated coldly, an evil smile playing on her lips. _I'm not a cum bucket, Teddy. If you think you can just set me aside like that, well, then…I can play._ "If that's what you want, then fine."

Teddy knew it wasn't fine. "I'm sorry I said…we can still be—"

"Friends? Oh I don't think so." She smirked. "You better make damn sure I never see your face again, and I better not be around when you go to Diagon Alley if you don't want me telling Victoire where you've been off to for the last two years."

Teddy's eyes widened. He scoffed gruffly. "You wouldn't dare." He challenged her. "You'd destroy yourself if you told."

"I'm a Slytherin, Teddy. It's pretty much expected that I'm an evil bitch—and maybe for you, I can be. I know how much you love role-play." Gemini laughed. "But you, Teddy…my, my, what of you? Your parents died so you could live in a better world. You're dating the girl whose father was mauled by the dog that did the same to your dad. If I'm the other woman, you're the ungrateful shit everyone will hate when this is over—and with my record in Hogwarts against yours in Filch's office, I'm pretty sure I can get away with saying you promised me Victoire was only a friend. Raymond Skeeter can turn it into a PSA about werewolf offspring. I can see the front page now. But that might be nothing compared what to Victoire Weasley will do. You'd be alienating the entire Weasley clan, and if my knowledge is correct, it's a big family connected to a whole lot of other families."

She looked at Teddy's fuming expression and laughed. "Oh Teddy. You think I'm going down if I come clean?" She glowered at him. "But if I'm going to fall, you're going to crash and burn."

She smiled wickedly, and Teddy was less sure that Gemini would keep quiet. "Gemini…"

"Get out." She hissed.

"I-"

"DID YOU HEAR ME? GET OUT!"

Teddy was already wearing his jeans. He grabbed his shirt, wand, and gave her a tremulous look before he disapparated. Gemini gave him a middle finger, thinking he was so lucky that her wand was feet away from her. It was only when he was gone and she looked in the mirror did she realize there were tears running down her face.

Gemini quickly dressed and then used a cleaning charm to make the room as it was before she arrived. She took heavy breaths, forcing herself to calm down before she apparated. Finally, after an hour, she no longer had the urge to break something and apparated to the Leaky Cauldron. She landed on the stairs to the second floor.

"Gemini?" Gemini turned around to see Arnold looking up from the bar. She noticed him frown, and she realized her hair was a mess and her eyes were still red and puffy before she left. "Gemini, what's wrong?"

Gemini quickly bit her lip and shook her head, running upstairs. She ran to her room door when she remembered that she had it locked from the inside. She could hear Arnold running upstairs so she closed her eyes and apparated inside the room. She leaned against the door, sliding down as she finally let the tears flow once again, ignoring the sounds of Arnold knocking on her door.

It wasn't that she loved Teddy—she knew she didn't love him that way. She merely desired him, an exciting pleasure that she enjoyed. She wasn't crying because she would miss him, she was crying because she didn't want to be in the position she was in. She was the one who was supposed to grow bored and toss him aside. She was the one who Teddy would run after, and even though Teddy was the only person who witnessed it, she loathed that she tried to get him to stay. And the fact that she was the one who got dumped only made it worse.

She was pretty, and she knew it. Teddy didn't matter anymore. If Teddy was smart, he'd stay out of her way. No one would know of her humiliation. _And as for me,_ Gemini thought, listening to Arnold's knocking, _I'm going to find someone else to play with._

She opened the door. "Oh thank god." Arnold sighed. "Gemini, what's wrong?"

"Nothing." She said huskily, yanking him inside by the collar of his shirt. "Nothing's wrong anymore."

Gemini pulled him inside, closing the door behind him. She pushed him to the bed and before he could sit up she was straddling him. She took off her cardigan. "Gemini, I—"

"Shhhh." She placed a finger on his lips, her long hair brushing his body as she leaned over him. "You've been dreaming of this moment for a long time, haven't you?"

When he didn't answer, Gemini sat up straight and started taking off her camisole seductively. "You're right." She heard Arnold sigh as her eyes covered her camisole. She could feel him sit up, his head close to her chest. She felt Arnold place his hands on her hips, and she smiled. "I've always imagined this moment."

She removed her top and Arnold grimaced as he pulled her so her face was in-line with his. He wasn't even looking down at her lacy bra that was slightly see-through. "But not like this." He said gently, taking her cardigan from the side of the bed and opening it up for her. Gemini reluctantly put it on, covering up her chest. _Two guys in one day, that's a new low. Even for you._

"Gemini, you're beautiful," Arnold said softly, "and believe me it's all I'm doing not to take my clothes of right now. But…"

"But?"

"I don't want it to be this easy—and I'm not saying you're easy or anything…" Arnold smiled. "Look, I don't know what happened to you, and if you don't want to tell me, that's fine, but I don't want to take advantage of you, especially like this."

Gemini groaned. "God, this is embarrassing."

"I won't tell. In fact, this never happened. If anyone asks what I was doing here, I'll say I was talking about, er, books or something." Arnold said seriously, crossing his heart. Gemini smiled at that. "And besides, I like you too much."

"How much?" She asked, sliding to her feet by the bed. Arnold patted at the bedside beside him and she sat next to him.

"I…more than you can imagine." He smiled cryptically.

"Enough that you don't want to do it?" She teased.

"If I get another chance in the future, I'd want it to be because you feel the same way I do for you." Arnold said quietly. "My mother and father had me months after the end of the war. Mum kept it quiet until she and dad were married. They loved each other, even though sometimes she seems too busy to show it. You should see them in the apartment. _That's_ the kind of feeling I want when I do it for the first time."

Gemini sighed, feeling the warmth on her cheeks as she leaned here forehead on his arm. "You hopeless romantics and your ideas of virginity loss." She mumbled dryly.

Arnold laughed. "Look, why don't we go out to dinner? Dad has a friend that works in this Muggle Italian Restaurant, if you're tired of the leaky house soup here. I'll pick you up here around six?"

"Is this a petty attempt at a second date?" Gemini mumbled.

"Did it work?"

She raised her head and smirked at him. "Yeah, it did."


	20. The Slytherin Girl Who Wasn't

Chapter 19

They went to an Italian restaurant a few blocks away from The Leaky Cauldron. A few Muggles gave Arnold a quizzical look, as he had yet to master wearing Muggle clothes and wore a black cloak on a summer night. Gemini, who had grown up in the Muggle world, dressed more like a Muggle in a floral summer dress and denim jacket. Upon their arrival, Arnold requested to be served by Dean Thomas.

"He's my dad's friend." Arnold explained as they were seated in one of the booths. "His step-dad was a Muggle and opened the restaurant. It's family-run and it's kind of confusing having to exchange Muggle money with Wizarding money, and Mr. Thomas lets us pay in Wizarding money."

An dark-skinned man as old as Professor Longbottom arrived at their table minutes later. "Good to see you again, Arnold!" Dean greeted. He smiled at Gemini. "And I don't think I've seen you before…"

Gemini extended her hand. "Gemini Ridley. I'm Arnold's…we were in the same year in Hogwarts."

Dean grinned knowingly and nodded. "Right. Well, I'm sure you'll like it here." He said as he handed her a menu. "And let me guess, the same triple-cheese Happy Meal for you, Arnie?"

Arnold turned a shade of red. "Maybe…if I was ten."

"Glad to help." Dean said jokingly. "Just give a shout when you're ready to order. I'll be back to check on you two in a while."

Gemini waited until Dean left. "So…two triple-cheese Happy Meals?" She asked, not looking up from her menu.

"Don't start." Arnold muttered as he opened his own booklet. "You're not one of those carb-obsessed girls, are you?"

"It's Italian food. I would have said something the moment you suggested it." Gemini said dryly.

They ordered spaghetti with big meatballs, pizza margherita, and red wine. Slowly, Gemini began forgetting the painful, embarrassing incident that was Teddy Lupin and began to enjoy the moment with Arnold.

"Have I gotten you drunk enough to tell me what got you so upset and horny at the same time?" Arnold asked casually as he poured more wine. They were finishing up on dessert, a blueberry cheesecake they shared, and they were just finishing the wine.

"Not even close."

"C'mon. Why not?"

"Because you'll either laugh at me, sympathize with me, or think I'm a horrible person." She said before taking another sip of wine.

"You know how I feel about you. I could never think you're a bad person." He said quietly, placing a hand over hers and giving it an assuring squeeze. "I promise."

Gemini let out a syllable, but quickly stopped. She sighed in frustration. "You'll think I'm—"

"You won't know what I think until you tell me."

Gemini looked at Arnold, weighing her options. He had never given her a reason to doubt him. _Maybe I can trust him…_ She inhaled. "Um…you see, it's sort of about Teddy Lupin and…what?"

Arnold was staring at her with a blank expression. "Don't tell me _that_ thing was true too…" He said, his voice a whisper.

Gemini sat frozen, horrified. "You knew?" She asked weakly. "Did…did the entire Gryffindor house…"

"No." He said. "Well…everyone eventually figured out that since Teddy's dad was a werewolf, it kind of explained his wolfish tendencies: you know, the love for medium-rare meat, the loud screams in the dorms late at night.

"But one wolf feature no one but the older Gryffindor males knew was the fact that whenever Teddy acted like a wolf, he had this sort of alpha-male tendency. Basically he became the kind of guy who liked to be better than everyone else…" Arnold cringed. "And when you and I were in the beginning of our seventh year, he thought being better than the seventh years was inevitable if he claimed to have slept with the prettiest girl of our level."

Gemini winced. "You want me to continue?" Arnold asked, and she nodded. "He never really used your name, but when he began bragging about seeing an older Slytherin girl who was the smartest in our year, he was pretty much pointing the finger at you without a dou—"

Dean came by with the bill Arnold asked for minutes ago. There were conversions written on the paper showing the amount in Wizarding money, which Arnold paid for despite Gemini's protests of splitting the bill. "You can pay for the next one." He promised her as he left a tip.

He got her jacket from the coat rack near the door, helping her into it before putting his own cloak on. _He's still so nice even if he knows I'm that dog's whore._ Gemini thought guiltily as they walked out of the restaurant. "Do you mind if we walk back?" Gemini asked. "I just really…"

"You…what?" Arnold asked slowly.

"I like spending time with you, believe it or not."

He smiled. "I'll take that as a compliment." He offered her his arm and she took it, and they started heading back the long way to the pub. Gemini finally told him about what had happened earlier in the day, and from time to time she would watch his facial expressions. He did not ask any awkward questions, and though he kept a blank face, that made Gemini feel worse, considering she'd rather know what he was thinking.

"I hope you don't hate me after this." Gemini said after Arnold kept quiet for a long time.

"Well…I don't certainly think any less of you." Arnold said tentatively. "I don't approve of sleeping with guys who are taken, but…did you really mean that thing about telling Victoire?"

"I didn't really mean it." Gemini admitted. "I was just so angry that he'd end it like that that I just wanted to see him look scared. I didn't mean what I said, Arnold. The words just came out of my mouth."

"Do you mind me asking how it started?"

"Christmas, fifth year." Gemini recalled. "I stayed for the holidays and his grandmother was visiting some friends in France, and, well, we both had the idea to go to the kitchens for wine at the same time and after sharing a bottle of firewhisky…well…yeah. After that, it was pretty easy sneaking around because he was a Metamorphmagus."

"I get it…sort of." Arnold said. "But it's over now, right?"

"Like it never even began in the first place." Gemini said dryly. She could have sworn Arnold's muscles relaxed. "So only the older boys knew?"

"Just the sixths and seventh years." He assured her.

"Victoire's a Gryffindor, though. How could you not tell her?"

"Because Teddy was never very convincing when he was trying to be alpha-male. Not even half the sixth and seventh years believed what he was saying is true. We figured that if it wasn't, we didn't need to tell Victoire something that wasn't true and risk ruining their perfectly good relationship."

"And if it was true?"

He shrugged. "Teddy's a good guy most of the time, and I'm sure he wouldn't have gone wild and…followed his urges…if it weren't for something he couldn't control in the first place. We kept it a secret."

"And here I just thought Gryffindor boys hated Slytherins in general." Gemini said sarcastically. "Apparently it's just me."

"They don't hate you." Arnold said as they turned the corner to Charing Cross Road. "At least, the majority that doesn't believe what Teddy says."

Gemini bit her lip. "Did you believe him?"

"What?" Arnold asked uneasily.

"You heard me. Did you believe him?"

"In all honesty?" She nodded. "No, I didn't believe him. I don't believe in unsubstantiated gossip."

"Oh come on," Gemini rolled her eyes. "I'm a Slytherin, I'm constantly out-doing everyone without even trying, and I'm a Slytherin Slug—yes, I know you Gryffindors called us that, no need to deny it. You must have hated me at one point!"

"I never hated you!" Arnold laughed. "You know how I feel—"

"About me? Pretty much, but I don't know _why_." Gemini said. She pulled her arm from his and turned to walk backwards in front of him. "You know, you never really answered my question back in Hogsmeade, the one about why you liked me."

"I _did_ answer you." Arnold stressed. "Remember? I said it was because—"

"Because I'm smart and I'm pretty and there are no other girls like me, I remember." Gemini cut him off. "But the thing is, there are smart and pretty girls in every house, even in Gryffindor. And there may be no other girl like me, but believe me, that's probably a good thing.

"I just, I really want to know: why me?" Gemini asked, walking beside him. "Of all the girls you could have picked, you choose the girl from the rival house whom you have never once spoken to, and I know it's not just because of brains and looks."

Arnold stopped, his lips tight. "You don't remember, do you?" He asked quietly.

"Remember what?"

"That incident in Potions class?" He tried to remind her. "Fifth year? Just before Halloween?"

"I remember what happened." Gemini snapped. "I don't remember how that has anything to do with the matter at hand."

He stopped walking. "It meant a lot to how I feel about you." He said quietly. "That day meant everything to me."

~0~

 _ **Three Years Ago**_

The potions classroom was hot and humid, making Arnold uncomfortable as he stirred the contents of his cauldron. The Gryffindor and Slytherin fifth years were all busy making a Strengthening Solution in preparation for their O.W.L.s, and because the cauldrons were left to brew overnight, the room was hotter than it normally was. The only source of relief was the door that was propped open, letting in some of the cold air from the dungeons. However, because the dungeons were Slytherins' turf, they were always the first ones waiting outside the classroom and carefully selected the tables nearest to the door, leaving the rest of the Gryffindors at the back of the room, where it was steaming hot.

"Alright everyone!" Professor Slughorn looked up from the box of vials he was grading to see everyone still stirring their potions. "Is there anyone who has passed Step 6?"

A Gryffindor student, Kensington Smith, raised his hand, smiling smugly. "I've already added powered Griffin claw, Professor." He said, obviously pleased that he was the only one raising his hand. He raised his ladle to show that he was on the stage of turning his dark blue potion into a turquoise liquid.

Professor Slughorn nodded and smiled at him. As he opened his mouth, Gemini Ridley quickly raised her hand. "Professor, I think I'm done with mixing." Gemini said, her voice honeyed to every Gryffindor who rolled their eyes.

The eight Slytherin Slugs in Arnold's year level sat around the table closest to the door, Gemini included. It was evident she was Slughorn's favorite. It was even more evident that Gemini hated being outshone in Potions Class. Professor Slughorn dismissively told Kensington to continue his work before he got up from his desk to check her cauldron.

"Great, the war of the Teacher's Pets." Alexander Wood muttered as Professor Slughorn lavishly praised her for the dark blue tone of her cauldron. Because it was so hot at the back of the classroom, none of the Gryffindors were talking to contribute to the heat, compared to the Slytherin Slugs near the door who talked loudly as they stirred.

Gemini walked to the cabinets where Professor Slughorn kept the special ingredients students didn't have on-hand. Arnold was a few feet away from the cabinets, and he noticed Gemini was taking a long time to get powdered Griffin claw. "Professor, I think we're out of Griffin claw powder." Gemini said as she walked back to the front of the room.

"Out?" Professor Slughorn repeated, but then his eyes widened. "Goodness, I forgot! The Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs used up the powdered claws. I'll go get some more in the stock room. Be back in a moment."

Professor Slughorn went out the door. Arnold looked at his potion and decided that it looked blue enough for the next step.

"Wait a minute…" Gemini's voice rang across the room. Arnold looked at her. She was looking at the back of the classroom. "Smith, if there was no more powdered Griffin claw in the cabinet, how are you already in Step 7?"

"I read a book in the library that said powdered Pixie is a suitable substitute for powdered claws for any flying animal." Kensington said haughtily. "I bet you didn't know that, did you?"

From where Arnold sat, he could see that Gemini looked extremely horrified. He had a feeling something was wrong, and everyone thought so too because everyone was quiet, looking at her. "Smith, turn that off—now." Gemini said, her voice on edge.

"Excuse me?!" Kensington said, appalled. "Is this just some way for you to ruin _my—_ "

"Turn it off!" She shouted more urgently. "It's _Pixie Dust_ substitute _,_ not powdered Pixie, you idiot!"

"So?" Arnold didn't know what the difference was, but a few of the good Potion students in both Gryffindor and Slytherin were beginning to slowly back away from where Kensington was. Alexander tugged his sleeve, motioning him towards the back of the room, just in front of the cabinet.

"TURN IT OFF!" She shrieked at him. "Don't you know that adding powdered pixie to anything with healing abilities risks pixies—oh shit!"

"SMITH USE THE VANISHING SPELL, QUICKLY!" Professor Slughorn roared from the door, but it was too late.

Kensington's potion quickly turned to a frothy brown that exploded like a firecracker. The brown liquid hit everyone in his table and a few Gryffindors nearby. The ones whose skin came in contact with the liquid screamed, clutching their faces as they fell to the ground. A drop flew to Alexander's arm and he grunted in pain before rubbing his skin red. Arnold could hear Professor Slughorn yelling at everyone to evacuate the room and call the Headmaster, but he could see that everyone in the room was too frozen with fear, watching the tiny things climbing out of the cauldron, to go out.

They climbed out of the cauldron like Inferi climbing out of the ground. They looked just like Pixies, but they were brown in color and looked like they were not truly solid, as they kept dripping brown liquid. They filled the table like an army squadron filing in, looking around the room like it was a toy they'd like to play with that had endless possibilities. Unlike pixies, their faces looked more menacing than mischievous.

"Sting Pixies!" Slughorn exclaimed. "Everyone out! Call for help!"

The pixies looked at him and shrieked before they shot in different directions. Arnold watched the pandemonium unfold as they destroyed the classroom, brushing and stinging students as they passed.

"Arnold, let's go!" Alexander screamed, his voice almost inaudible amidst the screams of the students who were either trying to escape or stung. "Let's—"

Alexander screamed as a pixie collided with his face as it flew past, and he fell to the ground, screaming. Arnold looked around for help, but everyone was running or hiding from the pixies. A few feet away, a classmate was swatting the pixies away with her Potions book, which only seemed to make them more agitated and soon they flew over her head, stinging her hair with dripping liquid that she screamed.

The pixies started flying around the room, laughing playfully as it flew over everyone's head, eliciting screams by the simplest touch. Arnold saw a commotion at the door as the Slytherin Slugs were the first ones out the door, followed by the other Slytherins. Some Slytherins were closing the door on their way out, scared of letting the Sting Pixies out, and caused a bottleneck at the door. Many Sting Pixies saw the crowded door, and made their way to touch the students. Professor Slughorn was shooting spells at the pixies, but he too was getting hurt and would miss some shots.

Arnold felt a stinging sensation in his arm as a pixie flew past him. He swatted it away, but the back of his hand stung as he touched it, and he had to bite his lip to stop screaming. The pixie glared back at him, abruptly turning back to fly in his face. He ducked a split second too late, and the pixie brushed against his forehead, and he felt a searing pain that he thought would have branded his scar.

He screamed in pain, clutching his skin to no relief. The pixie landed with a thud on the floor, quickly getting up and frowning at him. Arnold tried backing away, scooting backwards on the ground, but the pixie flew up slowly to level with his face, taunting Arnold by looking ready to fly into him. Arnold tried looking for his wand underneath his robes, but he gasped as he remembered he had left it up on the table. A second later, the pixie shot towards him.

He closed his eyes, ready to feel the sting of a pixie on his face. But instead of a sting in his face, he felt a shove on his side as someone kneeled in front of him. He opened his eyes to see the back of the robes of a girl with a curly black ponytail.

"Reducto!" She yelled, and Arnold saw the pixie burst like a bubble. The liquid splattered, and though some of it splattered on his clothes, it didn't sting him. A large amount hit the girl's outstretched hand, however, and she grunted in pain. She turned around to look at him, and Arnold sat there, his mouth agape. She crouched towards him. "Hey, are you okay?"

Gemini Ridley had dark spots on her face from where the pixies had stung her, especially a deep gash on her cheek, which a pixie must have stung over and over that the pink muscles started to show—at least, the muscle that wasn't covered in trickling blood. She was breathing heavily, and it was obvious that she was in pain, but she fought to get on her knees and dragged him under the table. _What are you doing here?_ Arnold wondered, dizzy over the lingering pain on his forehead. _You should…should have left the room.._

"Are you okay?" She repeated.

Arnold looked at his body. Apart from the few stings and the fact that he was shaken by the pixie, he was fine. _A lot better than I could have ended up,_ he thought, noticing several students passed out on the ground from the pain.

He nodded, meaning to thank her, but before he could say a word, Gemini quickly got to her feet and ran, exploding a Sting Pixie that was in her way.

~0~

"You passed out from the pain by the time the other teachers came and sorted the place out. I helped carry you to the infirmary, and Madam Pomfrey told me to get some rest for the sting." Arnold recalled, finishing his story. "I woke up in the infirmary hours later, only to find out that you and all those who were really hurt by the pixies were sent to St. Mungo's for treatment."

"That's it?" Gemini asked, slightly disappointed. _This isn't going to be a fairy tale story, is it?_ They passed through a plaza with a fountain, the running water's breeze making it cooler. "You have a crush on me because I saved your life?"

"Nope." Arnold said cryptically. "I had a crush on you this whole time because you could have left."

"I'm not following."

"You could have left, you know, but you didn't. The Slytherin Slugs were the closest to the door and the first ones out the door, and you were at the table at the time Smith's potion went bad. You could have left, but you didn't." Arnold smiled.

"And?" Gemini pursed her lips. "I did one good thing; that doesn't make me a good person. Professor Slughorn obviously needed help, and he's…he's the first connection I had to the Wizarding world. I couldn't just let him try to fight them on his own. And you could have just thanked me and be done with it."

"But the thing is, that's what led me to liking you." He continued. "When you got back from St. Mungo's, I was trying to thank you personally, but you were always with your friends. I know all about the humiliation of Slytherins talking to Gryffindors and vice versa, and at first I didn't really want to be seen thanking you, so I waited.

"I'd wait until you weren't with the Slytherin Slugs so I could thank you personally. But the problem was, you were rarely alone. Most of the time, you were with Abigail Flint, but if it wasn't Abigail, it was the Zabini twins or Catherine Pucey or Zoey Rossier, and I could never really thank you. I didn't want to let it go, to the point that I'd watch you…a lot. Mind you, I never stalked you or anything. If you happened to be in the same room as I was, I'd observe from time to time and wait to see you alone so I could talk to you.

"And then one day," Arnold said as they crossed the empty road a few blocks away from the Leaky Cauldron, "I wasn't just waiting…I was watching. On the rare occasions I saw you alone, I was going to go and thank you, but then…"

"Then what?" Gemini said after a long pause.

Arnold sighed. "You were different. I was there, you know, during those times you thought no one was looking at you. I was there when you caught that Hufflepuff first year who almost fell off her broom while practicing. I saw you apologizing to that Ravenclaw Zoey Rossier called a fat mudblood earlier in that day. During the Christmas Party in sixth year, you thought everyone was too drunk to notice but I saw how you stopped Cassio Zabini from touching that fourth year. All those times, you were alone, but I didn't want to thank you just yet, because I didn't want you to think I saw what you did. And from what I saw in you, I realized something."

"What?" Gemini asked. Arnold stopped and turned so he was facing her.

"You're kinder than you'd like to admit." Arnold said quietly. "I don't know if that cold personality you have is what you get for being a Slytherin girl with Slytherin friends, but I've seen the good side you have, and I've never met a girl in Gryffindor who would do a lot of things I've seen you do. When Teddy told me about you and him, part of me refused to believe it, and another part of me felt like even if it were true, I knew there was something good about you than meets the eye that you were more than just what you let people see.

"And on that day I finally got to talk to you, that day in Hogsmeade, I was too excited that I finally got to talk to you that I got really tongue-tied and messed up what I wanted to say. I like you because you're beautiful and intelligent and you're one of the bravest and kindest person I've ever met, and the fact that you've never used that to your advantage shows just how nice you really are."

Gemini felt her cheeks redden, and amidst the cold night breeze, she felt really warm on the inside. No one had ever told her what he had just told her. "You know…you still haven't thanked me." She said matter-of-factly.

Arnold caressed his hand gently on her cheek. "Gemini Ridley," he said quietly, his face leaning slowly close to hers, "thank you for saving me from that day in the Potions classroom."

She smiled meekly. "Is that it?" She asked.

"Not even close." Arnold said before he leaned in and placed his lips on hers.

For Gemini, the feeling was indescribable. It was like an electrifying sting from a sting pixie, but in a good way that made her surprised and quieted at the same time. She had kissed other boys many times—Teddy and several other boys she briefly dated in Hogwarts—but she had never felt this electrifying feeling that made her wrap her arms around his neck, pulling him closer like a drug she couldn't get enough of. It felt so right for her, and the butterflies were pounding out of her stomach and her head was spinning and she only pulled away when a nearby light post popped.

"Woah, did you do that?" Arnold looked at the post. Gemini shook her head.

"You're welcome, by the way." Gemini said jokingly. Arnold grinned and rolled his eyes before he kissed her again, taking her arm as they walked back to the Leaky Cauldron.


	21. After All This Time

Chapter 20

Draco arrived at the Ministry of Magic from the Guest's Entrance, sighing to himself. _This is it,_ he thought as he walked along the grand hallway. It was lunch time, so there were more wizards on their way out, and Draco stayed on the left side, where there were only a few wizards entering the Ministry. _It's either she's in here or it's the end of the line for me._

The past week had been so hectic that although Gemini had been in his mind almost frequently, Draco could not afford to look for her at the time. Harry Potter and a few other Aurors did an inspection on his home and Malfoy Apothecary's headquarters, and the search was interfering with the office. Draco and Harry were not on speaking terms, but Harry was kind enough to explain that there was a smuggled Dark Artifact—which Draco presumed must have been very dark if they had several Aurors hunting it down—and Draco was suspected to have smuggled it. Though Draco felt insulted that he would have been named a suspect, he begrudgingly allowed them to look into his property, knowing very well he had nothing to hide—or at least, nothing hidden in his house. Harry had thanked Draco for his cooperation, finding nothing to implicate Draco of what he was looking for, and went on his way.

That was last Saturday, and now Draco could finally find out if his cousin's location was within his reach.

Draco stopped at the elevators, looking at the list of levels nearby, and realized he was at a standstill. He realized that though he knew that Gemini's record would have landed her a position in the Ministry with Slughorn's help, he realized there were so many options for her to go on. She wasn't in the Slytherin Quidditch team, but did she like sports and ended up in the Department of Magical Games and Sports? Was she in the Department of Magical Law Enforcement with Potter and Granger? Was she an Unspeakable? Was she a junior assistant to Minister Shacklebolt? _Maybe I didn't think this plan through..._ Draco thought ruefully.

An elevator opened and several wizards exited the car and made their way to the exits. He wasn't going to wait all day in the hopes he would get a glimpse of her leaving the elevators. There were guards roaming the Atrium, and Draco knew it would look suspicious of him to be sitting by the elevators the entire day.

His answer came in the form of an information booth not far away, which was blocked by a group of moving wizards that he only saw it. _This is it, Draco. Remember the plan._ He approached one witch behind the counter.

"Good afternoon sir." The witch said in an almost bored voice. "How can I help you?"

"Good afternoon. I'd like to send a line to—" Before Draco could say her name, he paused and looked at a paper. "Well, the thing is, Professor Horace Slughorn suggested this recent graduate from Hogwarts that I should take an interest in for hiring at my company, but I'm afraid I forgot to take note of where she worked, though Professor Slughorn only mentioned she works here."

"Oh, that's fine." The witch said as she pulled out a sheet of paper from one of the cubby holes nearby. "If you could just give me the name of this employee sir…"

"Gemini Ridley."

"Gemini Ridley…one moment please…" She said as she opened a large brown books. Reading it upside down, Draco could faintly make out that the book was filled with tables of names of Ministry Employees and where they could be found. _I could have just asked her where Gemini was, that'd make things so much easier._

Behind him, he heard several elevators ring, one after the other, and the Atrium got noisier with the sounds of people heading out to lunch. Draco tried to ignore the noise as he noticed that the witch was frowning. "I'm sorry sir, but there's no memo line for Ms. Gemini Ridley."

It was like a slap to the face. _So she's not here…_ He thought, though he was certain a second ago that there was no other place she could have ended up in. _I guess not._ "Oh, very well. I see."

"Yes, well, there are no memo lines for interns, you see."

His heart sank. "Okay, thank you very much for your…" He felt his heart leap from his gut all the way to his throat. _Wait, an intern?_ "She's _here?_ "

"At the Department of Magical Law Enforcement." She double checked the book. "She's currently under the Witch Watcher's Division, so if you want to send her a letter, I'm going to address it to the Head of that department and he can give her the letter. Though if it's a job offer, I think it'd be more appropriate if you just talk to her personally."

 _This is it!_ Draco thought excitedly. It was all he could do to keep a calm exterior. The elevator nearest him dinged, and the Atrium grew as loud as his mind. "Very well. Is there any way for you to contact Ms. Ridley?"

"It's lunch break for most offices, sir." The witch replied. "I'll contact the reception upstairs to check if Gemini Ridley is still there, but if not, then I'm afraid you'll have to wait until one-thirty—that's when lunch time ends."

 _Even better,_ Draco thought. He nodded and the witch moved to write a note. His search was now complete. _The only thing missing now,_ he thought, _is finally seeing her after all this time._

"Excuse me." A voice behind Draco said. He turned around, freezing on the spot as he recognized the dark hair and pale skinned-girl.

"Hi, I'm Gemini Ridley." Gemini said, extending her hand out to him. "I was getting out of the lift when I heard you were looking for me."


	22. Wasn't In Vain

Chapter 21

She looked just the same as her photos: pale skin, dark eyes, curly black hair, though she didn't have a sinister smile that reminded Draco of Aunt Bellatrix. On her neck was the necklace Bellatrix left her, and Draco wondered how she hasn't been caught yet.

"Hi, Ms. Ridley…" Draco said, shaking her hand. "Draco Malfoy."

"How can I help you, Mr. Malfoy?" Gemini asked politely.

 _This is it—say it! I'm your cousin. Your mother was Bellatrix Lestrange. Your father was the Dark—er, Rodolphus Lestrange. Your name is Gemini Lestrange._ He wanted to hug her. "Uh…do you mind if I talk to you for a few minutes?"

Gemini looked around uncomfortably. "Unfortunately, I'm meeting someone in a while, and I'm actually kind of running late. Is this going to be long?"

Draco finally found her, and he wasn't going to just let her go for another time. "Yes, just a few minutes. I just need to talk to you about something. Do you mind if we sit?" He motioned to the fountain in the middle of the Atrium, and he and Gemini walked and sat on the edge. He figured that she would want to stay longer when he told her what he had to tell her. "Ms. Ridley…"

"One question, though: How did you find me?" Gemini asked.

"I…Professor Slughorn mentioned you when I met him." Draco smirked and Gemini immediately nodded. It was technically the truth. Draco felt something heavy inside him, and he wondered why he still couldn't come clean to her about who she was. _Just say it, for Merlin's sake._ Draco thought.

He knew part of him felt guilty that by being this close to her, he was going to end what his mother had done to keep him from harm's end. He was inches, maybe mere seconds from opening his mouth and telling Gemini what she may have wondered for most of her life. He felt that it was only hard because he loved his mother so much that he would be destroying the effort she took to make sure he would never find her. _I'm sorry mother,_ Draco thought as he looked at Gemini, waiting for him to continue. _I need to tell her._

"Gemini?" Draco opened his mouth to speak, but a few feet away from them, a tall young wizard called her. He approached them. "I was waiting for you by the Floo Network but you were taking so long so I thought to wait for you near the lifts and…"

He stopped when he saw Draco. Gemini stood up and introduced him. "I won't be long. Mr. Malfoy just wanted to talk about something." Gemini turned to Draco. "Arnold Longbottom. My boyfriend."

"Longbottom?" Draco asked as he stood up and shook Arnold's hand. "Are you Neville's kid?"

"Yes sir." Arnold said mannerly.

 _Now please keep your distance,_ Draco thought. He wasn't going to tell Gemini the truth with anyone close by. He had to tell her alone. But Draco noticed Arnold wrap an arm around her waist and he knew that he couldn't find a subtle way to get Arnold away from her.

"You were say, Mr. Malfoy?" Gemini piped.

"Oh, um, er…" Draco thought quickly. He remembered what he told the witch and decided to play on that. "Yes, um…Professor Slughorn mentioned what a good student you were, and I've come here to offer you a job. I heard you were just an intern in the Department of Magical Law enforcement and I figured you'd like a full-time position in Malfoy Apothecary."

"A real job?" Gemini asked.

 _I could get her alone for an interview and then tell her,_ Draco decided. "Yes." He tried to make the job offer sound as real as he could. "Naturally, we give fresh graduates starting positions, but because of your high marks in Hogwarts, I'm willing to give you a high-ranking position in our Potions Department. The pay's good compared to an internship or starting salary, and you'll have many benefits, including—"

"Mr. Malfoy?" She cut him off. He motioned for her to speak. "I'm very flattered you've come to me for this position and I'm sure it's a good position, but to be honest, I'm not interested in finding a new job."

Draco bit his lip. _But you have to!_ "You're an intern, right?"

"It's a special internship program." Gemini briefly explained the program Hermione made for her. "I've already interned for the Auror Office and I'm working my way to become an Auror."

"You want to be an Auror?" Draco asked, impressed. The irony of Bellatrix's daughter aspiring to be an Auror was not lost on him. "But won't that take long? And this position, compared to the salary of an intern…"

"I'm perfectly happy with where I am right now." Gemini said firmly, though not impolitely.

 _Happy._ And then it dawned on Draco. It was at that moment he realized the one possible outcome of Gemini's life that he had never considered from the beginning: she could have been abandoned in an orphanage, adopted and returned by countless Muggles, grew up alone and unwanted in an orphanage, raised without a family, may have believed her whole life that she was Muggle-born and then tossed into the Muggle-born-hating Viper's nest that was House Slytherin…but she could still be successful and happy—without ever having to know who her family was.

 _How did I not see it from the start?_ Draco thought stupidly. He remembered all her accomplishments in Hogwarts, and she never once looked sad in her photos. Even in her photo in Slughorn's collection, she looked contented enough. _Mother was right this whole time. Gemini could have lived her life without ever having to know who she came from and still be alright. I couldn't see how…until now._

He observed Gemini, who quietly told Arnold it would only be a few more minutes. He kissed her on the side of her head, saying it was fine. _I could tell Gemini the truth: that I'm the last family member she has left. And then what? Whether I say she's Uncle Rodolphus' or the Dark Lord's, she would still be Bellatrix Lestrange's daughter. Aunt Bellatrix, who—if Gemini's going to be an Auror—is known for being the epitome of a Dark Witch. Aunt Bellatrix, the woman who tortured her daughter's boyfriend's grandparents to insanity. Aunt Bellatrix, who almost killed the boyfriend's father downstairs in the Department of Mysteries._

 _Does she know enough to hate where she came from if I tell her? She's a smart girl—she'll know more than enough. She'd have a family—she'd have me—but is that what she really needs right now? The truth of where that necklace came from?_ He noticed the way she and Arnold Longbottom looked at each other and Draco knew the answer to his question. He sighed in resolution. _Almost a month worrying over this._ He thought glumly, but smiled sadly as he looked at her. _She'll be happier as is. As long as I know she's happy, I don't think this search was in vain._

It was enough knowing she was happy. For her sake, he wouldn't tell her anything. He sighed and shrugged. "Very well, it was worth a shot." He said amicably. "Your N.E.W.T.s are very impressive, Ms. Ridley." He shook her hand.

"No hard feelings, Mr. Malfoy." Gemini asked.

"None—if only I offered it earlier." Draco said ruefully. He opened his jacket and pulled out a card. "We're always hiring bright Hogwarts students, so if you ever change your mind…"

"I'll keep that in mind, Mr. Malfoy." Gemini promised, taking the card from him.

"Good." Draco gave her a smile. "Well, good day Ms. Ridley. Mr. Longbottom."

"Good day, Mr. Malfoy." Gemini nodded. Arnold said the same and they turned and left to the exit.

Draco watched as Arnold took her hand and walked together to the exit, taking his cousin out the door.

~0~

He arrived home minutes later. Scorpius was visiting a friend's home, leaving Astoria at home, waiting for Draco to return.

"How did it go?" Astoria asked nervously as Draco passed the foyer. Draco wordlessly took her in his arms and kissed her.

"I saw her." Draco said after a pause. "I talked to her."

"And?"

"I couldn't tell her. Mother was right. She's better off not knowing anything about her past."

"Oh Draco…"

"She's happy though, and that's good enough for me." Draco brightened. He caressed her face and kissed her. "No need to worry anymore, love. We're safe. Everything's going to be okay now."

Astoria hugged him. Draco felt his chest lighten, knowing that what he said was true. _Everything's going to be okay,_ he smiled. _It's over now._

It wasn't yet.


	23. The Aftermath

**Hi everyone! Sorry for the long wait as I was out with my family yesterday for Fathers' Day. Hope all of you had a great time with your dad as well!**

Chapter 22

The Archives Room of the library resembled the tastefully decorated hall outside the room, the only difference was that instead of bookshelves, the walls were lined with locked glass cabinets containing small bottles that had silver wisp-looking things. Arnold walked around the room, opening several cabinets.

"You'll need archives on the Second Wizarding World, of course…oh, Dark Arts, yes…Dark Artifacts, that could be useful…" Arnold muttered as he searched the cabinets that could be useful. He opened a wooden cabinet and pulled out a silver basin. He gave the basin a throw from the bottom and it gently flew to the middle of the room. Gemini saw that the water in the basin barely moved, and the water was glowing at the bottom, as though it was deeper than it looked. Arnold noticed her looking at it.

"That's a Pensieve." Arnold explained to her. "Basically you pour a memory in and then you stick your head in. Afterwards, just tap your wand on the basin and the memory should go right back to the archives."

He looked at the cabinet labeled _"Second Wizarding War"_ and selected a small bottle before handing it over to Gemini. "Try it out."

Gemini read the label, which read "Runcorn, A. – Part 1". "Nothing bad's going to happen, right?" Gemini asked as she tipped the bottle to the Pensieve. The silver wisp turned to a black stream of water that mixed into the basin. She looked at Arnold nervously.

"Go on." Arnold told her. "You just have to put your face in and the Pensieve does the rest. I'll follow after."

Gemini took a deep breath before she closed her eyes, pulled her hair to one side and dipped her face in the basin. She didn't feel wet, but rather she felt like she was falling, and she didn't open her eyes until she felt a soft thud. She opened her eyes and saw that she was no longer in the Archives Room, but rather on the pews in one of the courtrooms in the Ministry.

She heard a soft thud behind her. "You alright?" Behind her, Arnold appeared, looking dazed but quickly getting to his feet. He helped her up to a seat, which was surrounded in papers and parchment. "Don't worry about bumping anything. This is just a memory, so we just pass through it."

"Let the trial for Mr. Albert Runcorn begin." Minister Shacklebolt's voice boomed from the podium. The room was filled with the entire Wizengamot looking on. However, the room was also filled with wizards in normal robes and Muggle clothes, all of them looking with the defendant below with resentment. "Albert Runcorn, you are charged with the crime of supporting and aiding the Death Eater Regime of the Ministry, as well as the illegal, unethical detainment of Muggle-borns in the Muggle-born Registration Commission, the illegal use of Snatchers to detain Ministry Official Dirk Cresswell, and having allegedly aided in the capture and death of the same Mr. Cresswell."

Runcorn was a tall and muscular man with a hard face and an unrelenting glare as he stared down the Minister. "Get on with it." He spat.

Minister Shacklebolt grimaced his lips into a flat line. "You are guilty of the charges?"

"Fuck your charges!" Runcorn roared. The shackles chaining him to the chair at the pit of the courtroom shook loudly as he tried to raise his arms furiously. "I refuse to live in a world where filthy Mudbloods are treated as equals! Filthy Mudbloods and Blood Traitors…"

"Don't worry, you won't." Minister Shacklebolt said coldly. "If you're guilty of the charges against you, your new world shall be in Azkaban."

Runcorn roared obscenities at them all with such a fury that Gemini winced and looked away. She felt Arnold slip her hand in hers. "This goes on for quite a while. The memory of this trial's broken into two parts because it takes a while for the Aurors to finally restrain him and calm him down. He goes crazy every time he's spoken to. This memory's just full of this, and he doesn't really answer much so I'm sure we can skip this."

They glanced at Runcorn as he began repeatedly shaking his shackles like a madman. "Just close your eyes and try to clear your mind if you want to leave the memory before it's over." Gemini followed him and soon she found herself standing over the Pensieve.

Arnold tapped the basin with his wand and the wisp came flying back to the bottle. There was a table on the side nearest to the door and Arnold placed the bottle on a small rack. "When you're done, just place all the bottles you've used here. I'll have it sorted out by the end of the day."

Gemini nodded and thanked him. "Can you handle this on your own, love?" Arnold asked as he wrapped his arms around her, glancing at the door to make sure no one can see them. "I'm afraid I have to get back to sorting books in a while…"

"I think I can manage." Gemini smirked. She tiptoed on her flats and kissed him. "I'll see you later."

He kissed her back. "I'll come around when I can." He promised as he walked backwards to the door, bumping against it as he walked, his eyes fixed on her. "See you later."

Gemini smiled sweetly, her heart beating faster than she ever thought it could. _So this is what it feels like to be in something real._ She thought amazedly after Arnold left. She skipped back to the first cabinet and scanned the bottles, which were sorted into smaller sub-categories. She carefully pulled out a rack containing names of Death Eater survivors and decided to first look into the Death Eaters' trials.

There were only a few Death Eaters who survived, and each though each of them pledged loyalty to their cause, they were interrogated in different ways.

Amycus Carrow was promised leniency in Azkaban if he could tell them where his sister escaped to, though he admitted he did not know where she was but he knew she would be continuing the belief to end the destruction of a perfect wizarding world.

A Death Eater named Jugson pleaded, saying he was under an Imperius Curse the entire time, though Gemini believed none of it and apparently neither did the older members of the Wizengamot.

Rodolphus Lestrange looked poisonously at a younger Harry Potter, and when his trial was over, he yelled that the fight was not yet over and he knew that one day another would be there to finish what was started. Younger Hermione and Ron whispered something to Harry, who seemed to relax when Lestrange's voice disappeared.

She saw a younger Draco Malfoy and what looked like to be his parents stand below the Wizengamot, and watched as they were forgiven for their actions for Narcissa Malfoy's heroic actions. A few of the Wizengamot did not look pleased with that result. Gemini noticed that Narcissa looked very shifty, and she wondered what more Narcissa could be worried about if Lord Voldemort was already dead. _Unless…_ Gemini started to think, but was interrupted as the Pensive brought her back to the Archives Room.

One by one, Gemini took important notes of the trials of the Death Eaters. A few of them desperately tried to claim innocence, some forgiveness despite the number of people they had killed, though quite a number of them proudly swore their allegiance to Lord Voldemort and what they fought for.

And Gemini felt sick to her stomach. It was hard for her to look at these people and hear their crimes against the Wizarding World. No matter how hard she tried to see things from their perspective, she couldn't see the logic of their cause from all the screaming and cursing at the Wizengamot.

 _This whole war is so unnecessary,_ Gemini thought as she watched Zoey Rosier's uncle put on trial. _Have they honestly not learned anything from Hitler and his "Aryan Race" thing?_

It was like watching an overly dramatic, mature version of Hogwarts. When she was in Hogwarts, Gemini knew Slytherins who hated Muggle-borns, and had even disliked her before it became evident that she had at least one Wizard parent. They hated Muggle-borns for reasons she could never truly comprehend, and now looking at these people who had killed so much for the same reasons made her believe that the main reason for this war was just a bunch of Slytherins who never grew up. _Some of the brightest wizards aren't even pureblood!_ Gemini thought indignantly, her thoughts drifting to Hermione Granger. _What does it matter where wizards come from anyway?_

Finally, she was out of the memory of the trial of a Death Eater named Yaxley and she placed the memory back in the bottle. She had done the courtesy of keeping the bottles arranged so Arnold wouldn't have to do a lot of sorting later on and started to put the rack of Death Eater trials when a certain rack caught her eye: _D.E. Alliance Interviews._

 _Interviews?_ Gemini wondered. She took a random bottle and read the label, which was labeled " _Umbridge, D. – Interview"._

She tipped the memory into the Pensieve and entered. She was no longer in the court, but in a torch-lit stone room that resembled a gloomier Hogwarts Dungeon. She immediately recognized Harry in his Auror robes standing by the door, though for the first time, he had a look of cold fury etched on his face. It all seemed so strange because his glare was pointed towards a dumpy-looking old woman who reminded Gemini of a toad, who, despite looking not that harmful, had an air of calmness and refinement as she sat across a scribbling man, her back straight and her face looking forward, ignoring Harry looking on.

Gemini knew Dolores Umbridge from her History lessons. She was the one who headed the Muggle-born Registration Commission, and was responsible for so many Muggle-born injustices during the Fall of the Ministry.

The wizard across her, a man around the same age as Gemini brought out a tape recorder. Umbridge muttered something about Muggle inventions but the wizard ignored it and pressed a button. "This is Isaac Peters, recording for a Ministry of Magic study on the Ministry Changes during the Era of the Dark Lord." He turned to face Umbridge. "Do you know why you're here?"

"I'm a prisoner, not a retard." Umbridge snapped. "Of course I know."

Harry gave her a warning look, but Isaac waved him off. "You are requested to answer truthfully as this will be documented and may be used for further studies. It's a few questions regarding the Second Wizarding War and the actions you have done to support the Pureblood supremacy. Do you have any questions before I begin?" Umbridge sat wordlessly. "Right. First question: what do you think of non-pureblood wizards?"

Umbridge sighed, coughing into a gray piece of cloth that matched her clothes. "To be frank, I believe they do not belong in our society." Umbridge said tightly, as though she was having a normal conversation. "Our society must be filled with only those who are purely from wizarding families, and while my previous claim that Muggle-borns have stolen magic may be...a bit far-fetched, I still stand by my belief that they are still robbing our world of something?"

Gemini rolled her eyes. "And what would that be?" Isaac asked.

"Our culture." Umbridge said firmly. "Muggle-borns destroy our culture."

"They didn't _choose_ to be wizards." Harry said angrily. "And you thought that locking them up here in Azkaban was a good idea?"

He obviously wanted to say more, but was silenced with a look from Isaac. "Please, Mr. Potter, I'm trying to get as much information about Ms. Umbridge's way of thinking. I don't want her to be dissuaded from speaking her mind."

Gemini heard a small giggle come out from Umbridge's sweet smile, a laugh that made Gemini want to shove Umbridge's chair backwards. "Continue, Mr. Peters." She said sweetly.

"Right. Second: why?"

"Well that's a loaded question, isn't it?" She pointed out, smiling. "Why did I choose to head the Muggle-born Registration Commission? Why did I chose to support the Dark Lord and what Death Eaters stood for? Why did I become the bad guy? Why did I end up here? Frankly, I'm here because of what I did during the Second Wizarding War, but for everything else…I'm afraid there's a bigger story there a bit long to explain."

"We have the time, Ms. Umbridge. If you would, please."

"Very well." Umbrige nodded. "But first, to understand _why_ I think this way, you have to look past the Second Wizarding War and understand what it was like during the _First_ Wizarding War."

Gemini blinked. Arnold said something similar when she started her research, and she found it odd that someone on the wrong side of the war was also using the same argument. "I don't think you were alive during the First Wizarding War, were you, Peters? Well, I was. I was twenty-five and in a thriving career when the Dark Lord began his attack at the Ministry.

"I was born just after the Global Wizarding War, in 1945. I was born—shamefully—to a father whose ambition mounted up to scrubbing floors and a Muggle mother. My sibling was a Squib." She said the last sentence bitterly, as though she'd rather not admit it. "I never loved my father's ambition, but for what it's worth, I enjoyed the fact that he was my gateway to the Wizarding World.

"Why did I feel like the Wizarding Community is worth ridding of Muggle-borns? Because they don't know our culture." Umbridge said matter-of-factly. "I watched my mother, my brother, and all the Muggle-borns change what was—and believe me what was _was_ just fine."

"What do you mean about Muggles and Culture, Ms. Umbridge?"

Dolores Umbridge sighed. "I grew up in the era where blood traitors and Muggle-borns began to have significant power, changing the traditions of the Wizarding World that existed. We started accepting Muggle traditions, using Muggle-created methods in important things. We call ourselves Wizards, yet we need to borrow Muggle inventions to get on?" She giggled. "My, what a dying breed the Wizarding World was.

"No, I don't approve of Muggle-borns and half-breeds because they'll never _understand_ what our world was like, and instead force Muggle ideals and inventions into our world just because they think it's easier. I'm a half-blood, but I keep to the ideas that pure-bloods have kept over centuries."

"As did You-Know-Who." Isaac noted.

"Exactly." Umbridge agreed. "I may have Muggle heritage, but I don't presume to use that to change what is. We Wizards should be able to maintain a perfect society with Muggle ideologies and objects, and an imperfect pureblood society can't."

Gemini noted Harry's clenching his fist into a tight ball, his lips so tight that it seemed to disappear into a thin line.

"Right." Isaacs said. "One question though: I heard _you_ were the one who made that Magic is Might statue during the Death Eaters' reign."

"I was."

"And by that I take it you believe that Wizards should rule over Muggles?"

"Naturally."

"Could you expound on that?"

Umbridge blinked at him. "My idea of Wizards ruling the Muggles does not stem from the hatred of Muggles. Oh no, I don't hate them at all. But I do believe that they need to be ruled—please don't interrupt me while I explain, Mr. Peters.

"From my mother's side of the family, I got to be exposed to some Muggle affairs, and I tell you, nearly all of the problems they have can be solved by Magic. Scarcity of food, clean water, deforestation, national defense—Muggle problems to which they solve by means that cause more Muggle problems. I don't hate them, I just think they're inferior to us, we who can solve problems with a flick of a wand.

"Mr. Peters, tell me, are you a half-blood?" Umbridge asked, and he nodded. "Well then, imagine a world where wizards ruled. Muggles pretty much live the same way, given that there is no other way for them to live, but the only difference is that there is no war, no religious uprising, no nonsense Muggle corruption. And it's all because there is only one government: our _perfect_ government of purebloods who know how to rule. _We_ solve their problems. _We_ keep them in line. _We_ assure them of their survival."

"And how is that?" Harry asked tightly from the side.

Umbridge turned to him and smiled. "If Wizards and Witches ruled, we wouldn't have the need to hide." She said dreamily. "What Muggles have discovered through Science but have failed to do, we could use Magic to protect. Imagine a world where we can make plants grow in abundance that no one would ever go hungry. We could prevent earthquakes, floods, typhoons. But because we have to remain secret to the rest of the world, we can't do anything that would raise suspicion."

"At the cost of _enslaving_ them?" Harry demanded. "Or killing them for fun?"

Umbridge shrugged. "They're obviously not capable of handling themselves, and they're destroying the world for us without our help. It's for the best." She smiled and sweetly said "Just like what your Dumbledore said: _For the greater good._ "

Harry made to lunge at her, his fist held back, but an unseen force knocked him back. Umbridge giggled that annoying giggle and both Gemini and Harry quickly stood up. Harry drew his wand, but was quickly blocked by Isaac, who was yelling for help. Ron appeared from the door, restraining Harry as a smirking Umbridge looked on.

Gemini stepped past Isaac to wordlessly look at Umbridge, smiling like Harry making a scene was a joke. Her head was beginning to ache for thinking too hard, and Gemini had to take a step back as she felt like the room was spinning. She felt a hand grab her arm from behind.

"It's mostly fighting from this point on." Arnold said. Gemini quickly understood and they both closed their eyes and went out of the memory. "The library's closing in a while, so I think you should wrap it up."

"Right." Gemini said quietly. She stood up and moved to the table, sorting out the parchment paper before stuffing it in her bag, evidently lost in thought.

Arnold checked his watch. It was ten minutes to closing. "You ready to go?" He asked, waving his wand so several bottles outside the cabinets were sorted back. Gemini nodded, and in a few minutes they wordlessly went downstairs and took the Floo Network back to the Leaky Cauldron.

Arnold accompanied her to her room, passing by his mother who couldn't stop grinning. Gemini told her that she was going to be busy and wouldn't be having dinner, but she insistently offered to bring up some tea in a while. He noticed that Gemini acted differently, as though she was too distracted that she didn't speak the usual sarcastic way she did, nor did she seem to notice that his mother finally understood that the two of them were dating. They quietly went upstairs, where he placed the papers on her table.

"Are you okay?" Arnold asked, noticing Gemini leaning quietly on one of the bedposts. "You've been quiet—and trust me when I say that's not normal."

Gemini smiled weakly. "Just tired. And I didn't really expect this research to be that…moving."

"Well, I'm sure you can do it, love." Arnold placed his hands supportively on her shoulders and kissed her on the forehead, but he noticed the look on her face that made her look troubled. "What's wrong?"

Gemini looked down guiltily, and she sighed. "Am I a bad person…"

He looked at her suspiciously. "What? Of course not!"

She turned to look at him. "Am I a bad person if I think I agree with what Dolores Umbridge said?"


	24. Every Slytherin Ever

Chapter 23

"You…what?!"

"It's not what you think!" Gemini said defensively. "I mean…I don't agree that Muggle-killing should be a hobby…"

"But you agree with Muggle-borns ruining society and Wizards ruling Muggles?"

"Well…"

"Every. Slytherin. Ever." Arnold muttered under his breath.

"Well she has a point!" Gemini said. "And at least I don't hate Muggleborns and Muggles just because they exist."

"Maybe it's because you're—"

"Don't." Gemini said warningly. "But it's nothing like that, Arnold. For all we know, Wizarding society could have been a lot different before Muggle-borns arrived. And as for the Muggles, I grew up with Muggles too. I know a lot of their problems, and I know that a wave of any competent wizard's wand can easily solve like five different Muggle problems no one in the Wizarding World ever faces."

"But didn't you hear what Harry said? At what cost are you willing to create a world with one wizarding government?"

"At the cost that wizards get to use their powers for good so that Muggles get help to face their problems." Gemini said firmly. "Wizards shouldn't have to stand by and watch something they can fix with magic."

Arnold looked at her and grimaced. "Gem, you're going to be an Auror. Because I like you, and for the sake of not getting you into trouble, I'm not going to tell anyone what you just said."

She blinked. "So you don't agree?"

He thought quietly. "I think you underestimate Muggles. If they can survive hundreds of years not knowing people like us exist, then they can probably survive without us. And…do you mind if I'm honest? You're a Slytherin. To anyone prejudiced about Hogwarts Houses, they'd expect you to say things like that. You already have that against you if you're to be an Auror, and I know how much you want to be one. I'm just looking out for you, love."

Gemini sighed. "I understand." She smiled weakly as she kissed him goodnight.

"Same time tomorrow?" Arnold asked as he walked to the door.

"Can't. Lunch with Abby. I'll just go to the library after." Gemini said. "Unless you want to join us, of course."

"Lunch with you and Abigail Flint? Gosh, I'm torn." Arnold smirked. "I'll see you at the library, then. Goodnight!"

"Goodnight." Gemini waved at him until he closed the door. Her smile faded as she tiredly leaped backwards onto her bed, which made a creaking noise as it shook slightly.

" _For the Greater Good," she muttered._

She was so confused. Her whole life, she always knew the one truth every witch and wizard could agree on: Albus Dumbledore and the Order of the Phoenix were the good guys, Voldemort and the Death Eaters were the bad guys. Done. End of story. Throughout Hogwarts, she had constantly disagreed with the hate speech against Muggle-borns and disdain for Muggles. It was close-minded. It was bigoted. It was absolutely unnecessary, and there was no stopping Muggle-borns from being great if they tried.

But the way Dolores Umbridge said it made Gemini realize that it wasn't what she once thought. It had arguments, logic, the proper way of explaining something she couldn't understand. And finally, she understood it—and now she found herself warming up to the idea.

With a wave of her wand, Gemini got a parchment paper written with notes about Voldemort and the Death Eaters. Their crimes against humanity included murder and torture, among other things. _Voldemort tried to kill a toddler, for fuck's sake._ Gemini thought, scanning through her notes of the most prominent Death Eaters. There was one name that caught her eye: _Longbottom._ She forgot why she wrote Arnold's family name until she realized it was notes about Voldemort's most loyal Death Eater, Bellatrix Lestrange. _And this bitch tortured Arnold's grandparents to insanity. Am I that evil that I'd agree with people like them?_

Too tired to get ready for bed, Gemini lay in bed, the weariness taking over her as she finally closed her eyes, ignoring the knocks of Mrs. Longbottom tapping on her door.

She succumbed to the weariness and lost all sense of her body, and she relaxed at the feeling like she was floating. The knocks grew slower, and the stress in Gemini's head seemed to disappear into the darkness she was floating in. She felt herself swaying slightly, enough to notice the movements but not enough to feel dizzy.

Then the knocks didn't sound like knocking anymore. It had a pattern Gemini could hear, a slow one that sustained for a second before it began again. It began to sound like a voice, a familiar voice that repeated an undistinguishable word over and over. It was the same voice when she saw that vision of a night sky through the trees.

Gemini remembered the delusion she had in the Department of Mysteries, and she wondered if it truly was all in her head.

She felt like she was being carried. She feebly tried stirring, but the shaky hands kept her locked in the person's arms, and all she could see was a long, old-looking corridor that reminded her of Hogwarts, though more elegant-looking and more portraits haughty-looking people than paintings.

The voice was shaky, and Gemini heard the voice go quieter as she moved. She felt a pair of hands take her from the first pair, and this one felt almost comforting, soothing, like she was safe. She tried looking around but it was too dark to clearly see. She felt herself lowered to the cold floor. She tried to stand, but it felt like her legs were too weak to carry her and she had to crawl along the cold floor.

She tried to scream, but she could only feel a soft gurgle escape her lips. In the dimness of the room, she saw the intricate lines of what looked like a mirror. Gemini crawled towards it, but even in the darkness, she couldn't see anything but a pair of red eyes staring at her.

Gemini woke up lurching from her bed. She felt dizzy, but she forced herself to stand. Mrs. Longbottom was no longer knocking, but all Gemini could remember hearing was the inaudible voice she kept hearing over and over. _It's just a dream…just a dream…just a dream…_ she told herself, she wanted her to believe.

She used her wand to light the candles in her room and opened a window, letting the cool air in to calm her nerves. _I'm just stressed out._ Gemini told herself as she sat down on the couch, taking a glimpse of herself in the mirror. With the light of the candles and the night her only source of light, she could have sworn her eyes looked like the red ones she saw staring back at her in the dream, but the more she blinked and adjusted to the dim light, they looked the normal brown her eyes always were.

 _Two months to go…_ Gemini exhaled as she leaned back on the couch. _Just two more months and this will be over…as if Auror Training will be any easier._

She looked back at the mirror, and suddenly she started thinking about her parents again. _Did they go through the same stress I'm going through?_ She thought bitterly. _Probably couldn't handle it, if they had to give me away._

Gemini looked at the papers on her table, and made a mental note to take Arnold's advice and forget what she said earlier. She wasn't going to take any chances with the report, even if it meant writing against what she knew she agreed with.

 _I'm going to be an Auror, something my parents probably never were. And who knows? Maybe like Minister Shacklebolt, I'll be the Minister of Magic one day._ She smiled, the thought of her report being less stressful now that she was motivated to do it. _I'm not evil,_ Gemini decided. _I can't be evil if this is what I want. No, I don't think I'm a bad person. I'm not._


	25. A First-hand Source

Chapter 24

 _Two Months Later_

On the end of her desk was a stack of parchment papers, the proof of labor after blood, sweat, tears, and sleepless nights of writing and re-writing when she had new ideas of what to write and didn't want to put it off until the morning. In front of her were two parchment papers, each with their own distinct differences that would drastically change the direction of the introduction to the conclusion of the report. The left read:

 _From research, it is logical to conclude that the Second Wizarding War is actually similar to the Muggles' World War II in a way that Lord Voldemort and Adolf Hitler, both the leaders of the widely-viewed erring side of their respective war, had the right ideology but wrong method of execution. Hitler's regime had the right idea that the human race can be superior in a way that everyone should have a positive contribution to society, but erred with the fact that he believed genocide was the solution. Lord Voldemort made the mistake of not learning a thing or two from his Muggle parentage, and he would have known that his goal of controlling Muggles for their benefit and regulating Muggle-borns would have been successful if he managed to persuade the Wizarding Community of why his ideals were for the greater good of Wizards and beneficial to Muggles, instead of forcing his beliefs on the Wizarding Community._

 _I believe that if Lord Voldemort had tried a different method of changing the system—one with a more humane means and with majority of the community agreeing to it— it would have been successful. His views are viewed as radical, almost the counterpart of Muggle racism and bigotry, but had he planned his campaign in a more convincing way, things would have been a lot different. While he had the right idea, the Dark Arts is never the answer._

The right read:

 _In conclusion, the point of Death Eaters' ideology is one of self-interest and pureblood supremacy. Generally speaking, the origins of a wizard has never affected a Wizard's ability to perform magic, and the only time blood status has been a hindrance to the Wizarding Community is when others prejudice half-bloods, Muggle-borns, and half-breeds on their parentage or ancestry. Muggles, on the other hand, have survived independently after the Statute of Secrecy, and it is most definite that they are capable of surviving in the following years without Magic. They have the evolution of technology, among other things, and both the Wizarding and Muggle Community can benefit from what the future has for both factions._

 _The Second Wizarding War, however, gives future generations an insight of why the Dark Arts must be combated. Throughout 1995 until 1998, Lord Voldemort, the Death Eaters, and all their allies have shown enough Dark Arts that have harmed countless Wizards and Muggles. Future generations should use this history as a basis as to why Dark Arts must be combated, subdued, and suppressed from being used and abused in order to maintain the peace that came after the said war._

The left was honest, the right was what Gemini knew would get her into the Auror Training Program, and Gemini had been debating about what was more important. It was a difficult choice. It was an obvious choice. Gemini placed the left parchment above a candle, dropping it to the floor as it warped and turned to ash.

"It's for the best." She muttered as she watched it. Looking at the remaining parchment in front of her, she picked up her quill and began to write. She wrote, and then she wrote some more, and she finished her report as if she were a different person.

Finally, her report was done. Gemini groaned loudly as she stacked the parchment papers together, going through her report one last time. It seemed good enough, and there was nothing written that would suggest she agreed with anything about Lord Voldemort. But something still felt missing from the report. She had her sources cited, proper formatting, and it was written formally, but she thought there was still something missing.

When she realized what it was, Gemini quickly headed downstairs to the fireplace at the parlor. It was almost ten in the morning, and Hermione had given her the day-off to work on her report. Arnold had already left, and the Leaky Cauldron was bustling with customers having their breakfast. She was too distracted on her way down that she nearly bumped into Professor Longbottom.

"Woah, where's the fire Gemini?" Professor Longbottom said as he steadied himself. "How's that report going?"

"Just finished." Gemini said breathlessly. "But I have to talk to Harry Potter on the Floo Network."

"I was just on my way to the parlour." Professor Longbottom said, extending an arm to let her go ahead. "Heading back to Hogwarts for the day. The Chinese Chomping Cabbages should be getting antsy around this time, and Mr. Filch does a horrible job at pruning their extra teeth out."

"If I recall correctly, one of them bit me during fifth year, so I hope you'll excuse me if I feel no sympathy for their teeth."

"You're not the first one. The biting comes with the job of Herbology professor." Professor Longbottom chuckled. "If you don't mind me asking…how are you and Arnold?"

"We're…going steady." Gemini said politely.

"Anything exclusive?"

"We are, actually. But that's more because we're both too busy to find anyone else."

Professor Longbottom smiled at her. In his mid-thirties, Professor Longbottom began showing signs of ageing, with strands of fading brown hair and the faintest signs of wrinkles on the side of his eyes. He looked almost like Arnold, and when he wasn't in his protective Herbology robes looked like a regular dad. "Arnold's a good guy. If he's serious about you, you'd know. And he's not the most subtle young man, so I guess you know." Professor Longbottom grinned. "And he'll kill me for telling you this, but he often talks about you in the apartment. What about you, though?"

"I…are you planning on telling him anything? You're not very good at keeping secrets, now that I notice." Gemini pointed out. Professor Longbottom laughed and shook his head. "I like your son, like, a lot. And…I don't know, but I'm just happier around him, even if we've been together for just two months."

"That's good to hear," Professor Longbottom said, "but don't let my wife hear you. She was practically preparing a wedding dress when she heard Arnold got his first girlfriend. There she is right now. Hannah, dear!"

"Neville! Gemini!" Hannah greeted them from behind the counter. "Off to the parlour? You're pretty late today, Gemini."

"I'm not going to the Ministry today, just going to talk to Harry on the Floo Network, Mrs. Longbottom." Gemini said.

"Hannah, please. We've talked about this last Saturday, dear." Hannah chided. "Because apparently _mom_ was too embarrassing for Arnie…"

"Hannah!" Professor Longbottom chided, but affectionately kissed her on the forehead. "I'll see you later, love. Try not to traumatize the two."

"I make no promises," she said haughtily, her nose in the air. She turned to Gemini. "Since you're not leaving, I'll go put some tea on for you."

Gemini had lived with the Longbottoms long enough to know that it was impossible refusing Hannah Longbottom with anything. She was tall with messy blonde hair always tied back in a ponytail. She looked a shade plump, and Gemini had rarely seen her spend a day without working in the Leaky Cauldron, but Hannah was still so hardworking and hospitable to everyone on a daily basis. "Thank you—er, Hannah."

Hannah beamed at her and disappeared into the kitchen. Gemini went with Professor Longbottom to the parlour, where she let him take the Floo Network first before she used it to contact the Auror Office.

"Hello?" Harry's head popped on the fire.

"Harry?" Gemini called. "It's Gemini Ridley. The intern."

"Oh of course I'd remember you, Gemini. How's the internship going?"

"It went great, actually. One question first…do you still have that map thing?"

"Sure do. You need me to check something?"

"I just..." Gemini looked up to make sure she was alone. "I just want to check if I still have a trace or something."

"Oh sure, I can check." Harry said. His face disappeared from the fire, but Gemini could hear him looking around his office. "I heard from Ron that you live in the Leaky Cauldron now, right? Well, there's no green dot anywhere there. So unless you're calling me from a fireplace in Knockturn Alley, you're clean."

"That's great." Gemini sighed in relief. "But, there's something else."

"Anything you need."

She took a deep breath. "Do you mind if I interview a Death Eater?"

Harry's head flinched. "I'm sorry…did you say interview a Death Eater?"

"I just think my report would be so much better if not all my sources came from the library and I'd like to have a first-hand source of my report."

"If you're looking for first-hand source…"

"I need a Death Eater, Harry. My report is about the point-of-view of Death Eaters." Gemini cringed. "I met Draco Malfoy once—he was offering me a job and everything but I turned it down—but I think it might be insulting for him if I ask him questions about his…his past."

"Right...I followed up on the theory that he was still into the Dark Arts, but during the raid I saw that he was clean. You're right." Harry bit his lip. "But Gemini, the thing is, it's been seventeen years. All but one of the Death Eaters already passed away, and the only one surviving slips in and out of Dementia that I can't guarantee that you'll get a proper interview from him. I can take you to Azkaban today, but I can't assure you that you'll get anything worth adding."

Gemini pursed her lips. _It's worth a shot._ "What time can you take me?"

Harry sighed. "After lunch break. Meet me here at the Auror's Office. There's only one way to get to Azkaban."

She pulled away from the fireplace but an idea popped in her head and quickly went back. "Harry wait!"

"Yes?" Harry went back as well.

"Who's the Death Eater? I might do a bit of research about him so I'd know what to ask."

He nodded. "Sure. It's Rodolphus Lestrange." He said, "But mind you, dress for cold weather."

Gemini looked outside the parlour window. The sun was shining brightly outside. "Right. Until then, Harry."


	26. Woes of the Death Eater

Chapter 25

Harry and Gemini took Harry's broom to Azkaban, which was located on an island in the middle of the North Sea. It could have just been her imagination, but the moment Gemini saw Azkaban, the sun quickly disappeared behind dark clouds and the sea breeze got colder than it really was.

They landed on a pier at the edge of the island, where Gemini saw several other brooms resting in a locked glass case. "I thought you stopped using Dementors a long time ago." Gemini said after Harry locked his broom.

"We did."

"Then why does it look like they never left?"

They walked towards the black stone tower, where several Aurors could be seen guarding the place. "Dementors have been dwelling here for centuries that they left some sort of residue that Magic just can't seem to remove." Harry explained. "It's not really the same as a Dementor, but it has some effects to the prisoners. That's why we cycle the Aurors who guard here."

"What kind of effects?"

"That depends." Harry shrugged. "In some places where there isn't too much Dementor remains, you get really cold for no reason, or you get that feeling you're being watched. In worst cases, Dementor residue can't drive you insane, but you get that restlessness feeling where you never get enough sleep. We're getting near the zone already."

Gemini felt the temperature drastically drop, but otherwise she didn't feel bothered about it at all, now that Harry told her what to expect. _This is going to be the low part of my future,_ Gemini told herself, and refused to act scared of the thought of guarding prisoners here every now and then. Harry drew out his wand and muttered a spell and a white wisp shot out, turning to the form of a silvery stag, and the cold remained, but it was less chilling than it once was.

"We placed Lestrange and the other Death Eaters at the top of the tower, but we didn't realize it was riddled with Dementor residue, and the restlessness and keeping him locked up here drove him insane." Harry explained. He nodded at several passing Aurors as they reached the stairs, and they began to climb. "I called ahead and they said he was in one of his good days, so hopefully you can get an answer or two out of him."

As they climbed, Gemini noticed Harry's face grow grimmer as they ascended that he even let the stag walk ahead of them, though it made no difference. From time to time, Gemini got the feeling that there was a third person on the staircase, and she swore she could hear a weak voice calling her, but she forced herself to remain calm until they reached the top level of the tower.

There was an Auror standing by the door to greet them as they entered. The top floor was lined with dark, empty cells, apart from the one that was locked. The entire level looked like it had been drastically cleaned—or at least, someone attempted to clean it, because several parts of the interior looked grimy and dirty.

Harry tapped his wand on the closed cell's bars and it rose up. Gemini looked at him but he gave her a re-assuring smile. "The gates are just protocol. Professor Flitwick created this charm where you can't leave a space unless you're led out. In this case, he can't pass through this cell unless an Auror pulls him out, so it's safe to keep it opened." Harry turned to the body rocking back and forth on the ground. "I think I can leave you here for now. I'll just be by the door, have to talk with other Aurors for a while."

Harry walked back to the door, turning on his way out. "And keep your wand out in case anything goes wrong, though I doubt anything will happen. And don't go all the way in the cell; otherwise, you'll be needing me to pull you out."

Gemini nodded as Harry left the level. She turned unsurely to Rodolphus Lestrange. He was in a gray shirt and pants, and reminded Gemini of a homeless man she once saw on a PSA. His eyes were glazed when he looked up at her.

She coughed. "Good, er, afternoon, Mr. Lestrange." Gemini said, trying to be brave as she stood as close as she dared to the edge of the cell. She felt like that interviewer in Dolores Umbridge's interview. "I'm here to do a research project and I need to ask you a few questions."

He looked coldly at her, but groaned as he lowered his head. "Get on with it, then. It's not like I have a busy schedule."

Gemini asked him. She asked questions about his contributions to the Second Wizarding War, how he escaped Azkaban, and what happened to him after the end of the war. Lestrange would answer, but from time to time he would mutter incoherently, sometimes saying the Dark Lord was coming to get him. She was disappointed that he didn't leave her with that much new information, but at least she got to say in her sources that she heard it from Rodolphus Lestrange himself.

Finally, she got to her last question. "Your wife, Bellatrix Lestrange, was the Dark Lord's most loyal Death Eater, wasn't she."

He nodded weakly. "Bellatrix…"

"Right. How did you…"

For the first time in their interview, Rodolpus looked right into her eyes, and Gemini could see his bloodshot eyes staring back. "We have to get out of here, Bellatrix." He said quietly. "The Dark Lord is coming for us, soon."

 _He's gone insane again,_ Gemini thought, but something about the way he looked at her made a chill run down her spine. "I'm afraid I'm not."

"Where's the child?" He demanded, lurching towards her. "The heir will rise, Bellatrix. The war is not yet over. The Mudbloods and Blood Traitors will pay for those who have vanquished the child's father and those loyal to him. They will surely pay, and you and I will be alongside the Dark Lord when I watch them all suffer the Lord's wrath."

She was too stunned about what he said that she couldn't react in time. Rodolphus grabbed her arm, which was just past the cell's opening, and tried to pull her in. Gemini screamed as she tried to pull back. She heard the door burst open and turned to see Harry and the other Auror running to her.

"Gemini, don't pull him out!" Harry said, standing behind her as he placed his hands on her arms to keep her still.

The other Auror grabbed Rodolphus' arm. "You're not allowed to come out." He said firmly to him. Immediately after, Harry yanked Gemini's arm away and Rodolphus screamed in pain and frustration as a red-like shield appeared and separated the two. He glared at the three of them before he sulked back to the back of his cell.

"Are you finished?" Harry asked. Gemini nodded and the Auror lowered the metal bars once more. "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine," Gemini said breathlessly. "But I think I'm good to go home now."

"Alright. Let me take you back to the Ministry. Stevens." Harry nodded to the Auror and he led her out.

As they reached the stairs, Gemini turned to Harry. "Harry, if you don't mind me asking, Lestrange said something that was rather odd…" He looked at her and nodded. "He said, if I'm not mistaken, Lord Voldemort had a child."

She recalled what Rodolphus said before he tried pulling her. Harry listened, and when she was finished, he shook his head. "Don't worry about that. It's a long story."

"It's a long ride home." Gemini pointed out.

Harry gave her a half-smile. "Right. I'm telling you this because I'm almost ninety-nine percent sure you're a shoe-in for Auror Training, but for the sake of not causing a ruckus in the Wizardin Community, I'd appreciate you not telling anyone what I'm about to say." He said seriously.

"I won't."

Harry took a deep breath and began. "At the end of the war, Rodolphus was one of those Death Eaters who kept pledging their loyalty to Voldemort. During his trial—"

"I know, I saw it in the archives. Messy."

Harry winced. "It sure was. Anyway, at first he kept saying Voldemort was coming back and all that, and it was obvious he was only trying to keep the Death Eaters who escaped to look for Voldemort's soul—kind of like what Peter Pettigrew did. You learned it in History of Magic, I take it?—and as a way to give other Death Eaters hope they would be saved as he once did before. But…it's not. I made sure of that. Let's pass through here—I'm not exactly fond of talking while riding a broom."

They stopped on the second floor landing and went down a hallway, which was covered in old Wanted posters, some overlapped with others, all with varying states of decay. "He wanted everyone to remain in fear of Voldemort's return, and he kept telling the Aurors that when he arrived here, and naturally, none of us believed it. And then he got insane with all the Dementor residue, and I think he started getting desperate, because he started telling us a whole new story: We shouldn't be afraid of Voldemort, we should be afraid of the child Voldemort and Bellatrix Lestrange had."

"A child?!"

" _Allegedly._ " Harry stressed. "According to him, Voldemort and Bellatrix…well, you're seventeen, I think you know how children are conceived, and shortly after Dumbledore's…after the Battle at the Astronomy Tower, Bellatrix was sent to Spain to hide out before her pregnancy started showing. And that the child survived and is still alive."

"He admits to being cuckolded?" Gemini scoffed. "I find that hard to believe, but at the same time, I know he couldn't have protested when he knew who it was his wife was with. But did you find it?"

"No." Harry said patiently. "We checked out the story with the other Death Eaters, _including_ Bellatrix's sister, Narcissa Malfoy, and they all testified that Bellatrix was in Spain trying to get the Spanish _Duendes—_ they're like goblins, but more gruesome and they're more into human meat than gold. They all denied that there ever was a child, said that Bellatrix was such a show-off that if she ever did have a child with Voldemort, she'd let them know."

"So she really was in Spain?"

"Apparently, and the _Duende's_ weren't very cooperative with her." Harry huffed. "There's a reason why there are no more _Duende_ sightings."

"Harry, but what if they all really didn't know?" Gemini probed. "Of course Rodolphus would know—she's his wife—but what if the others weren't allowed to know?"

"Gemini…the Aurors and the Order have been through every possibility years ago. We even did a mass interrogation in Azkaban with Veritaserum. There was no child. We went to Spain and everything checked out. And…" He stopped grimly. "I was there…I was there when he was brought back to life. I saw Peter Pettigrew carrying his body, and I saw how he was re-made into a body using…stuff. Believe me, Gemini, there is no way that body of his could have possibly produced a child."

Gemini sighed. She had heard enough stories of the Second Wizarding War to know that she was relieved she didn't live through it. "There's another thing, though..." She said hesitantly. "He called me...he called me Bellatrix, just a while ago."

Harry scratched his head nervously. "Oh. Well, to tell you the truth, Ron and I noticed that."

"Noticed what?"

"You look like you could pass off as a Black. You resemble Sirius Black in a way," Harry admitted, "and your curly hair isn't helping you look any less like Bellatrix. You've got the black hair, dark eyes, and you're very pretty, if you don't mind me saying."

" _I_ look like Bellatrix Lestrange?"

"Err…yes, similar in the way that you have the same features, but not similar in a way that you look alike." Harry said quickly. "Look, there she is right now."

He pointed at one of the brownish posters on the wall. It was a poster of what looked like an insane woman in chains, struggling and screaming. The woman flipped her hair back, showing furious eyes as she gritted her teeth at her. Her curly hair was a mess, and the dull clothes she wore had what looked like bloodstains. "Ron and I guessed that that's why Borgin believed your ploy back then." Harry said as Gemini stared at the poster. "Though it could be because you resemble the last Black alive."

" _The last Black?"_

"There's one last Black, didn't you know?" Harry's eyes widened. "It's all hush-hush because of all that's happened, but there's still one more Black here in London."

"Who?" Gemini whispered excitedly. _Shit! This wasn't in the archives!_

Harry stopped beside her, leaning towards her ear as he whispered. "Gemini Black."

Gemini gasped, but when she saw Harry grinning she blushed as she punched his arm. "That's not funny!" She said bewilderedly to him, who was roaring with laughter. "I thought I could use it for a project, you butt!"

"You should have seen the look on your face!" Harry laughed, wiping a tear from under his glasses. It took him minutes to collect his bearings. "Right. Well, we better get going."

Gemini huffed, stifling a smile as they walked down a second tower and back to the pier. "It's funny, though," Harry mused, furrowing his eyebrows. " _Gemini._ The Black Family named their children after constellations, and Gemini's that twin constellation, right? I haven't been looking up Muggle stuff for a while now."

"It is." Gemini nodded. "Maybe the government worker who took me in was a Black. Maybe, in a cosmic joke or something, _I_ could really be Voldemort and Bellatrix's daughter. Maybe I am Gemini Black."

" _Maybe._ " Harry said in a mocking voice, and they laughed. He pursed his lips. "But even if he only cared about himself, I don't think Voldemort or Bellatrix would have sent you to a Muggle orphanage. He'd think too highly of a descendant of Slytherin, and the fact that his child would have been a Black. And the last time I checked, Kent's quite far from Spain."

They headed back to the pier, where Harry started unlocking his broom. Gemini noticed the sounds stopped and she turned to see Harry deep in though. "Unless…" he muttered. He turned to Gemini. "You know, the Black family's known for marrying other wizarding families, so by now many wizarding families can say they've got distant Black blood. I'm not saying anything, but if you're a Half-blood, your wizarding parent could be distantly related to a Black, and it may just be genes that can explain why you look like a Black. I 'dunno. Maybe if you're interested in trying to find out who your parents are, maybe that'd be a useful lead."

Gemini rode the rest of the ride in silence, which Harry didn't seem to mind. After all the opportunities she had, Gemini considered herself lucky. It was as if her childhood of being unlucky in finding the right family and causing a lot of accidents wore out her unlucky streak for the rest of her life. She found Hogwarts, she topped her classes, she was dating a guy who thought she could do no wrong, and now she was going to be an Auror. But the one thing she always thought was certain was that she would never find out who her parents were. And now here she was, lucky to find her first lead—however small—in finding out who her Wizarding parent could be. _But it's a small lead,_ she thought grimly. _Do I really want to try to find them?_


	27. Dinner with the Parents

Chapter 26

It was already evening by the time Gemini arrived at the Leaky Cauldron. From the parlour, she could hear the noisy dinner rush she had become accustomed to in the past few months. She went out the parlour and into the crowded seating area.

"There you are!" Gemini heard faintly. Arnold was near the parlour door, almost bumping into her. "I've been looking for you everywhere, even the owls couldn't find you."

"I was in Azkaban." Gemini explained. She noticed the concern in Arnold's expression and realized how that sounded. She laughed added quickly, "Research stuff with Harry Potter. Got into a run-in with a Death Eater, but I'm alright."

She wanted to explain, but it was so noisy that she knew it wasn't the right time. Arnold relaxed, pecking her affectionately on the cheek. "It's good nothing happened, then. Father came home hours ago. He was really happy with his plants in Hogwarts so we're celebrating by having dinner upstairs." He said loud enough so his voice wasn't drowned out in the noise. Gemini looked around the pub and noticed Hannah wasn't around, which never happened in the last two months she stayed here. It was a first to see only the hired staff during the rush. "And I told them I'd invite you to dinner. Would you like to…?"

"Love to." Gemini said loudly. She looked at her attire—a sweatshirt and jeans—and wondered if it was too casual. "Should I change first, though?"

He shook his head. "You look lovely, as always." He grinned as he took her hand in his and led her to the kitchen.

They passed bustling cooks preparing evening meals until they reached a narrow flight of stairs shorter than the ones leading to the inns at the back of the room. It led to a dimly-lit square room where, on one side, Gemini guessed was the pantry and storage to the kitchen. On the far side of the stairs were double doors that looked almost out of place. There were doormats, umbrella stands, and outdoor wall lamps on either side of the door. There was even a set of wind chimes hanging on the ceiling, which Gemini thought was absurd seeing as there were no windows to let it any air to make it ring.

Upon stepping below the wind chimes, Gemini heard it ring and the doors opened. It led to a simple brown staircase, and after climbing it, she found herself in a simple but homey living room. The living room had similar walls with the pub downstairs, but it looked better and less faded. The windows gave a great view of the streets of Muggle London. On one side of the room, there were two archways that led out of the living room.

Arnold turned on the radio. "It's not much, but…"

"You're speaking to the girl who's been living in an inn." Gemini laughed. "It looks wonderful. Like a real family house."

"Arnold? Is that you?" Hannah Longbottom's voice rang through from the left archway.

"It's me." Arnold said loudly, grinning at Gemini as she straightened out her top. "Gemini's here."

"Oh hi Gemini!" Hannah said cheerfully. "Dinner'll be ready in a while. Make yourself at home, dear!"

"Thank you, er, Hannah!" Gemini said. She giggled at Arnold, who winced at his mother's name.

"Not used to my girlfriend calling my mother by her first name." Arnold said quietly. He held his hand out. "Come on, I'll show you around before dinner. And by 'around' I really just mean my room."

Gemini took his hand and they walked to the right archway, where the bath and bedrooms were, which led to a narrow corridor with three doors. Arnold led her to the door at the end. His room was a red-brick walled room at the corner of the building and had wide rectangular windows on two adjacent sides. On the walls were posters for a Quidditch team she didn't recognize, and there was a reclining couch overlooking one of the windows. His closet was left open, revealing not much clothes and a mirror behind the door. The bed was unmade, and at the foot of the bed was a small coffee table scattered with books and photographs. On one of the photographs was a picture of her, which she recognized as the one he took on their date at the London Eye. The photograph of her smiled and waved, showing a high view of London.

"I missed you at the library today." Arnold said, pouting. "It's going to take a while getting used to not seeing you in the archives every day."

"I missed you at Azkaban today." Gemini said flatly, causing Arnold to snigger. "But I honestly wasn't used to not seeing you the entire day."

"Training for when you start Auror Training." Arnold said nonchalantly, though the glumness could be easily heard in his voice. Gemini smiled as she turned to him and kissed him intimately on the lips, her body pressing against his. He smelled like the scent of books she had gotten used to whenever he came home from work, a scent she started liking ever since they became officially exclusive almost a month ago.

He wrapped his arms around her waist and she embraced him back, leaning towards him as he kissed her back in a long lip lock that never failed to make her legs feel weak.

Arnold quickly pulled away. "I-I'm sorry." Gemini said quickly.

"No, no, it's fine." Arnold told her, leading her to sit on the bed beside him. He smiled at her, brushing his hand against her face. "I love you Gemini, but I don't want to do anything like that until…"

"I know." She said quietly. Though she didn't want to say it out loud, it made her heart soar into unknown heights when she heard him tell her that he loved her for the first time. He said it after more than a month of dating, when they walked around Hyde Park during a music festival, and after that Gemini could swear that her heart started beating a little faster ever since.

She was not unfamiliar with saying the same to others—she's told it to her closest friends in Hogwarts—but when it came to Arnold, saying that one line was a whole different matter; it was hardest thing she could do when it came to him, even if part of her knew that she would mean it. And though he would tell her over and over that he loved her, Gemini could never bring herself to get the words out of her mouth.

He kissed her on the lips. "I can play the waiting game too." He teased. "I don't mind waiting."

"Arnold, Gemini, dinner's ready!" Professor Longbottom knocked on the door. Arnold got up, giving Gemini his hand, and they both went to the dining room.

Dinner with the Longbottoms was lively and comfortable that Gemini quickly forgot her run-in with Rodolphus Lestrange. Professor Longbottom—who insisted she stop calling him _Professor_ Longbottom—was very polite and loved talking about the plants back in Hogwarts, and would constantly blush whenever Hannah's questions got too personal. Hannah was very doting, offering more food every time and giving everyone a shot of firewhisky.

Around ten, Gemini declined another butterbeer. "I'm afraid I'll have to call it a night, Hannah. I have to be in the Ministry in the morning."

Hannah frowned, but she nodded in understanding. "Oh, alright dear. But we must do this again soon!" She beamed.

Gemini bade goodnight to Neville and Hannah when Arnold offered to bring her back to her room. "I can't believe you had to see those photos." Arnold muttered as they were back down at the kitchen. The pub was now emptying, only a few people lingering inside, and the place was rather quiet.

"I don't know, you were a pretty cute kid ten years ago." Gemini kidded. The whisky was starting to get to her head, making her head spin a little that she nearly slipped on the first stair to her room.

With Arnold's help, Gemini finally managed to make it to her door. He helped her put the key in and helped her sit at the edge of the bed. "I'm going to hate myself in the morning when I can't keep straight in Hermione's office tomorrow." Gemini groaned, her face in her hands to try to make the spinning stop.

"Don't worry, I'll see if dad knows any cures for hangovers." Arnold said. "Try to get some sleep, love. I'll make sure you wake up on time tomorrow."

"Thank you." Gemini whispered. She stood up and Arnold wrapped his arm around her to help. She kissed him gently on the cheek. "Goodnight, Arnold."

"Goodnight, Gem. Love you." Arnold said quietly. He helped her back down on the bed before going out.

Finally alone, Gemini closed her eyes and fell on her bed, waiting for the dizziness to subside. She felt Orion slithering on her bed.

 _You don't look so good,_ he said. _Are you okay?_

"Just…just a headache Orion. Just let me sleep." Gemini muttered wearily.

 _Okay. Feel better. But if you don't mind, could you change my box soon? It's getting a bit too small for me and I hate having to stick my head out especially when it's really noisy. You know how too many people make me uncomfortable._

"I'm going to forget this when I sleep so could you just tell me again in the morning?" Gemini said groggily. Orion muttered a tiny okay before she felt him slither to the foot of her bed.

Gemini opened her eyes slightly, looking at the door, silently hoping Arnold was still outside. She had no idea how much time had passed since she laid down on the bed, and she with her watch in her bag and the clock not in her view, she couldn't tell what time it was. _I like you a lot,_ Gemini thought dizzily. _I want you so much, but at the same time I feel like I don't want to get too close to anyone. I made that mistake with Teddy, and I know Arnold isn't Teddy, but I don't want to make the mistake of being too close to anyone ever again. But I love you, Arnold, even if it kills me to say it out loud._

 **Hi guys! Big chapter coming up so I came up with some character pics for the main OC characters. Here ya go!**

 **Gemini Ridley/Black (Michelle Trachtenberg—she's the one on the book cover) –** .

 **Arnold Longbottom (Ben Lloyd Hughes) -** AcuCustom/Sitename/DAM/161/Ben-Lloyd-Hughes_2_MDisplay_

 **Abigail Flint (Charlotte Hope) -** .


	28. The End of a Long Chapter

**Hi everyone! Sorry for the long wait, but please enjoy the last ten chapters of The Dark Lord's Daughter!**

Chapter 27

 _One Week Later_

"Well, that's done." Gemini said anxiously as she and Arnold watched the owl fly away, Gemini's report tucked away in an envelope wound firmly around a harried-looking owl, which Gemini spent the last thirty minutes anxiously trying to make sure nothing happened to her report on the way to Hermione. She watched as the proof of months sleepless nights of reading and research flew away onto the setting sun, and every time the owl made the envelope shake was like a kick in her stomach. An image of the owl catching fire as it flew towards the sun passed her head, and she clenched her teeth to stop from calling the owl back a third time.

Arnold, noticing the tension in her gritted teeth, placed calming hands on the back of her shoulders and pressed against her. She smiled as it eased a bit of the tension, reflecting how he had always been there to support her. "It'll be fine," he reassured her. "It's Hermione Granger's owl. If I know her right, I'm pretty sure that owl's carried heavier."

 _He's right,_ Gemini thought as the owl finally disappeared from sight, and a dreadful pit formed in her stomach. _It's going to be fine._ She finally felt relief that it was over and stretched her arms up in relief. "We should celebrate tonight." Gemini said, her voice cheerful but tired.

"I'd understand if you just want to sleep-in tonight, darling." Arnold said. "You know, make up for all those nights you haven't been sleeping."

She shook her head. "I'll be fine. Besides, it's not every day I finish a big-arse report that I get to celebrate a night out."

"Then how about a compromise? We celebrate, but only in Diagon Alley."

Gemini grunted but agreed. "Fine, but I'm going to need a drink after what I just went through."

"How lucky that you live right below a pub, then." Arnold grinned. "I'll go change out of the work clothes. I'll be back to pick you up at seven. 'Till then."

"See you later." Gemini smiled at him before he kissed her and exited the room.

As he always did when he left her room, Arnold closed the door and quietly leaned on it, biting his lip to stifle the risk of howling in joy. It had been an absolute miracle that he, a student who was commonly referred to as "Professor Longbottom's son" even by fellow Gryffindors, was dating the girl who was eligible to be the Slytherin poster child of their year level. Whenever he was with her, he felt happy, no matter what they were doing together, and in the past couple of months, the highlights of his day always had her a part of it. He wondered if Gemini really knew how much he had fallen in love with her. Sometimes, he himself could not believe his fortune that the girl he fell in love with felt some sort of requital for his feelings.

 _Well, she never really said it yet…_ Arnold thought as he managed to stop smiling and go down the stairs. _Not yet, at least,_ he added, hopeful that it would be soon.

The dinner rush would start in a few moments, so Arnold quickly went up to the flat, changed from his work shirt to a regular t-shirt, and went back downstairs in twenty minutes. By then, his mother and father were already seating the incoming pour of customers. His mother looked at what he was wearing and knew he was going out, smiling and giving him a quick wave before she turned back to the customers.

Arnold was about to head to the stairs of the inn, but a man standing by the door caught his attention. There were a few unoccupied tables left, but the man was not making a dash for it like all the other entering patrons. In the man's hands was what looked like a book. Arnold looked around, hoping to find a staff member unoccupied to tend to him, but there was none. _I'm not yet late,_ Arnold figured as he checked the clock and decided to approach the man himself.

"Good evening, may I help you?" Arnold asked the man politely.

The man looked around, obviously puzzled as he scratched his head. "Good evening young man, I'm from Obscurus Books and I'm supposed to be making a delivery but I'm afraid I got the wrong address." The man said disappointedly, looking at a piece of parchment in his hand. "I'm supposed to deliver this book to a Ms. Ridley, but obviously there's been some sort of mix-up, seeing as this isn't a residential address..."

"Actually, Ms. Ridley currently lives in the inn upstairs. My family runs this inn—I could give that to her."

"Well, thank you! Please sign this," The man gave Arnold a release form to sign and afterwards handed Arnold a receipt along with the book. "It's already been paid for by Ms. Ridley. Please give her our sincerest apology for the long wait—our book deliveries are never really this long, but it's not one of our bestselling books so it took a while to find a copy of it."

He tipped his hat to Arnold before he turned and left the Leaky Cauldron. Arnold examined the book, which was thick and old-looking. It was pale green with a blue, red, and white sigil that had three birds, a hand branding a sword, and a skull adorned on the top. The lettering was an old, fancy kind of script. Written at the bottom in small lettering was " _En stirps nobilis et gens antiquissima Black.",_ while at the top in large font was _Tojours pur: The Noble and Most Ancient House of Black by Catankerus Nott, 2010 Updated Version by Theodore Nott._ Arnold wondered what the Black Family had to do with Gemini's report, and then he remembered that nearly every Death Eater could be linked to a pure-blood-obsessed family like the Black family, and brought it with him upstairs.

 _Too late for this now,_ Arnold thought wryly.

He knocked on Gemini's room door and she opened it moments later. She looked stunning in a black summer dress that contrasted with her pale skin paired with a denim jacket and kitten heels. She didn't look tired at all. He smiled at her as she let him in, kissing her on the cheek as he passed.

"Your book arrived." He said, handing her the book. "I didn't have the heart to tell the guy you already passed your report."

"Oh this isn't for my report." Gemini said quickly, hastily stashing the book under piles of draft parchment, something that didn't escape Arnold's watchful eye. "It's just a bit of light reading."

"Light reading?" Arnold asked doubtfully. His instincts were telling him something was not right, and Gemini was hiding something from him.

"Yes, it's nothing. Just doing a bit of research for something else." Gemini said casually, but was thinking _Fucking hell, don't they have owl delivery or something?_ She turned around and smiled at him. "Let's go?"

She passed him to get her bag, but he took hold of her arm, stopping her. "Gemini, if there's something you need to tell me…" He tried to speak gently, but Gemini wondered if he felt offended that she was keeping something from him as she noticed the edge in his voice. "You know you can tell me anything."

 _Like how I can tell you about my blood status?_ Gemini thought bitterly, immediately wondering where the attitude was coming from. And then she remembered: it was the one topic she knew she could never talk to Arnold about because she knew he would never understand—as he proved on their first date—and not like her Slytherin friends. And here she was, edging dangerously close to that subject, but she looked at Arnold's almost pleading expression, and she figured she should at least try to convince him this time.

She took a deep breath before she explained: how Harry Potter and his friends agreed that she resembled the general appearance of a Black, how the Black family was a family so diverse and so heavily recorded that she had enough resources to conduct a real investigation on her past, how the possibility that she could find her family was there because she was somehow related to the Black family. "I know this sounds insanely far-fetched, but I know there's something to it. There was something Harry said that I know can somehow lead to finding who my real parents are." She said passionately.

"And you know this from, what…your _instinct_?" Arnold asked, frowning. From the way he asked it, Gemini could tell her wasn't buying it one bit. "Correct me if I'm wrong, but you said that on our first date, about the whole blood status thing."

"I know it's not something _you_ would understand," Gemini said tightly, "but I can feel like something's there in what Harry said—and I'm never wrong about this instinct."

"Like how your _instinct_ tells you you're not Muggle-born?" Arnold pointed out. He sighed. "Gemini, if this is about that about half-blood fantasy you mentioned on our first date—"

"It's not a fantasy. I _know_ I have a wizard parent." Gemini said tightly.

"You can't possibly know that without a fact, can you?" He said persuasively. _How is she not seeing this?_ "Look, either way, you don't possibly want to think you're related to the Blacks. You understand who're in their family tree, right? I know I'm related to them in one way, but no one really pays that much attention to it because—"

"Because they're evil?"

Arnold was taken aback. "No…because they're so big that nearly every family's related to them that it's almost no big deal. But yeah, basically anyone who likes telling themselves they're related to a pure-blood family like the Black family is usually up to no good."

"Oh, because I thought you were prejudiced of the Black family that you couldn't stand the possibility that I could be related to a Black." Gemini said saucily. She liked Arnold a lot, but she refused to take crap from him, especially when it was something she believed in. She didn't know where this passion was coming from, but it was like adrenaline in her veins that kept her from backing down. "You know, Arnold, you're just like every Gryffindor I've met. You know what your problem is? All of you think that Slytherins are just the same evil people trying to achieve some Dark purpose and you tend to underestimate the fact that we're capable of more than just Dark Magic. Not everyone in Slytherin spends their whole life immersed in Dark Arts. Not all Slytherins are evil. _I'm_ not evil."

"Of course you're not evil, Gemini! I'm not insinuating any of that! I never even said any of that!" Arnold raised his voice defensively. "All I'm saying is that it's unlikely you'll find a possible family connection in a family that big. And besides, you know everyone related to the Blacks tend to be a bit…"

"Evil? All of them?" Gemini shot back. "So I assume Sirius Black was evil, as well as his brother Regulus. And let's not forget Andromeda Black. I did two months of research, a week on that family. Do you want me to go on?"

"Of course there are a few exceptions in that family…"

"Exactly, and I cannot believe how fucking prejudiced you are about the possibility that my key to finding my family is somewhere there. This is my only lead, Arnold, and you're so prejudiced that you don't even realize how you made me feel like Lord Voldemort just because I said I agreed with Dolores Umbridge in that interview of hers. Do you know what it feels like to have your boyfriend practically tell you you're an evil person?"

"Gemini…I didn't realize…" Arnold gulped. "Look, I won't pretend to know what it's like to be in your position—"

"Then don't." She yelled. She could feel the tears starting to well out of her eyes. _Why the fuck am I crying?_ "You don't understand how I feel about this possibility. This is my _only_ chance at finding my parents. You don't understand what it's like to be me. You don't understand the pain of growing up thinking your parents didn't want you. You don't know what it's like being constantly adopted and then dumped back in the orphanage, believing that there is something so wrong with you that no family ever wanted you. You grew up with your parents to come home to every summer—hell, you had your dad with you year-long—but you don't know what it's like wondering who they were and why they left you and whether or not they would be proud of what you've done with your life. You've…you've…"

She started sobbing, and Arnold took her in his arms and led her to the bed, both of them sitting at the edge. At that moment, Arnold empathized, wondering what it really was like to be someone like Gemini Ridley. At last, he finally did and understood her perfectly.

 _Of course she believed she was half-blood. She_ had _to believe she was._

Unlike him, Gemini always knew what it was like to feel alone. He knew she grew up in a Muggle orphanage, but he always assumed she never had the chance to be adopted, which was why she rarely brought it up. He wondered how many families she went through before she gave up on ever finding a family. And then she found out she was a witch and was sorted into Slytherin, the only House who had a population of students who could discriminate their own fellow Slytherins if they were Muggle-born. To him, that would have been the ticket out of years in an orphanage, but in a house like Slytherin, she couldn't if she were labelled Muggle-born. The Slytherins figured she was half-blood when her remarkable powers began to show, and it was only likely that Gemini wanted to reinvent herself, and she took it, claiming to be half-blood. She took it, and she took the friends and life that came along with it, and she played the part of the self-proclaimed half-blood so she would never be an outcast again.

As a half-blood, that meant her parents were linked to the magical community and thus involved in the Second Wizarding War, which made deceased parents a cause of her being an orphan more likely than the cause of a Muggle-born witch dumped by Muggle parents who didn't want her.

As a half-blood, she was not a Muggle-born the secretly discriminating Slytherins would look down on in the safety of their dormitory.

As a half-blood, she wouldn't have to deal with the quiet discrimination that lingered in their community, and that was one less disadvantage off of a list of disadvantages a struggling orphan girl faced.

It was a role of convenience, one Gemini chose early on to believe so things would be so much easier for her. And now she's played the part so well that, amidst her intelligence and the flaws in what was obviously unlikely, she began to believe it as well.

Arnold loved Gemini, but he felt like the wall she kept around her finally crumbled, and now that he understood her even better, he loved her even more. He comforted her, placing a calming hand on her back as she tried to stop crying.

In the midst of their argument, Gemini had unleashed years of memories she had chosen to suppress: Muggle families who adopted her, promising to be her new family, before sending her back; watching other kids leave the dormitory of the orphanage, to be replaced by new unfortunate children, while she stayed put in her own bed; the first week of Hogwarts, when a handful of her House would refuse to talk to someone they thought was in the wrong house. She had also unleashed years of refusing to let anyone get the satisfaction of seeing her cry, and even if she wanted to stop crying, she couldn't help it.

Finally, she held her breath so she could slow down her heart and tried to calm down. When she did, Arnold kissed her tenderly on the forehead, holding her hand tightly. "Hey…first of all, I'm sorry if I ever made you feel like a bad person. I stand by what I said before: _You're. Not. Evil._ You're not a bad guy, Gem, and I should know." He brushed away a tear falling down her cheek. "Maybe…maybe I should have chosen my words carefully. I don't agree with what Umbridge said, but you're not a bad person for believing in something similar to that. I'm sorry."

Gemini sniffed. "Gemini, please look at me." She turned to look at him, her eyes so red from crying that even the dark part of her eyes looked red. "I'll never really understand what it is you went through, but I know one thing: you can't let your past dictate your future—especially when it's something you never had control of in the first place.

"You're smart, you're beautiful, and you have that Auror job at the tip of your fingers. I'll be damned if you think your parents had anything to do with it. And you have me…if you consider that an achievement."

Gemini laughed, which sounded hoarse under her sniffing. "Of course I do." She smiled weakly. Arnold entwined his hand in hers and kissed it.

"And to me, I'm sorry but I don't think you need to know who your parents are." He continued patiently. Gemini's lips tightened into a straight line, but she let him continue. "You've done so much without them, and it's their loss they never got to know you. You've done so well for yourself Gemini, and I'll be a damned boyfriend to you if I let you go spend most of your life looking at the past when you have your whole life ahead of you. I really think you need to move on from all this."

"You think so?" Gemini asked sadly.

"I really do, Gem." He hugged her, and Gemini sighed, thinking: _He has a point. A real point. How have I not seen that?_ "And besides: Muggle-born, half-blood, pure-blood—It doesn't matter, I still love you."

She felt the butterflies in her stomach at the sound of him saying that he loved her, and smiled sadly as he brushed his thumb against the corner of her lip. Arnold exhaled before standing up and walking to her table. "What are you…?"

She watched him wordlessly get the book and placed it on her lap. "I'll love you either way." Arnold swore. "If you want to find your parents, I'm going to support you. I don't want to feel like I've forced you to give up on what matters to you most. My parents were in the Battle of Hogwarts, I'll even ask for their help if you need it."

Gemini looked at the book and opened it. Most of the pages were filled with pictures, updated a few years ago with recent pictures. She scanned the history of the Black family, skipping all the way to the family trees. There were chapters on families related to the Black family, and it showed family trees starting from a witch or wizard's marriage to a Black and then down to their descendants. In one page, she found the Longbottom family, and at the bottom was a small photo of a much younger Arnold, who smiled back at her.

There were at least thirty families related to the Black family, each with a potential family member who could have been her parent. There were families on Harry Potter's side of the war: the Longbottoms, the Weasleys, the Lupins, and many others. There were also families who were known to do the Dark Arts: The Crabbes, the Bulstrodes, the Lestranges—she even saw a glimpse of Abigail and Zoey when she passed by their family tree page. There were also the ones "blasted off" included in the appendixes: wizards and witches who married Muggle-borns, Muggles, and were considered blood traitors to their kind. So many options, and Gemini was staring at the book for a long time before she finally closed it and tossed it aside. "I don't think it's what matters most, Arnold." Gemini said, smiling weakly. She could have sworn she felt lighter as the book closed.

Arnold looked at the book on the floor and smiled at her. "Where'd you find that book anyway?"

"It was on a reference list on this book I read in the library." Gemini shrugged. "I thought I would work my way from there."

He took her hands in his and pulled her up from the bed. "I'm going to be fine." Gemini assured him when he gave her a look. "You're right. Maybe it's time I did move on."

"You sure?" He asked uneasily. "Are you happy?"

"Of course I'm happy, can't you tell by my face?" She sniffed and laughed hoarsely. "And if we're being honest here, I actually stopped caring about my parents about a month ago."

Arnold stopped and looked at her, confused. "Then why did you—?"

"Because you brought it up? Because it was an option I wasn't considering and you pretty much twisted my arm to come to a final decision? But I'm actually glad you did, now that it's in the open. And I stopped caring until Harry brought up that possible lead. I bought the book out of curiosity last week." Gemini shrugged. "You know, in case I wanted to see where it lead. Now that I've seen the book, I don't think I'll ever really find them that way."

"When did you stop?" Arnold asked incredulously.

"About the time we became official." Gemini recalled. "After that, I kind of stopped thinking about them and wondering if I were doing the same things they were."

She looked up at him, his eyes asking the question he didn't dare ask: _Why?_

She sighed. "I stopped thinking about them because…because I think I love you, Arnold, and I guess I had a lot more to look forward to than to keep wondering about the past."

It looked as if Arnold froze, though his lips curled into a smile that could have been on the face of anyone on Harry Potter's side after the Battle of Hogwarts. "What?" He asked.

She rolled her eyes. "You heard me."

"Say it again, please." He pleaded.

Gemini smiled at him, biting her lip shyly. "I love you, okay? I love you, Arnold Long—"

His lips were quickly on hers and his arms were wrapped around her, pulling her closer than they have ever gotten. "I love you too." He muttered as he breathed, leaning her against the wall. He told himself to control himself, but he found himself pressing his lips passionately against her amidst an attempt to kiss her gently.

Finally, when he slowly pulled away, the tension in the room was so palpable that they could cut it with a knife. Arnold placed one hand on her hip and the other on her face as he pulled away from their kiss. "I…" he stammered, his lips feeling like they were jinxed. "I…"

Gemini placed a finger on his lips to shush him. "I don't want to go out tonight anymore." Gemini said quietly. "Do you?"

Neither of them could remember who made the first move, but Arnold could recall pushing Gemini to lie on the bed on her back while Gemini could recall pulling him by the collar as she dropped down on the bed, their lips still locked together.

Arnold pulled back from their kiss to take off his shirt before climbing on the bed, watching Gemini slip out of her dress in one fluid move. He crawled closer, straddling her as he leaned in and kissed her, his lips electrifying on contact.

He bent further down, pinning Gemini under him as he trailed slow, passionate kisses down to her neck. Taking his time, he could feel her squirming under him, and when he looked up and saw her frustration, he knew this sort of thing was not something she was used to.

"Enough foreplay, just take off your pants already." Gemini groaned, trying to slip her hands down to his jeans. Arnold grabbed them before she could even reach it, and began to leave a trail of slow kisses in every arm that Gemini groaned louder.

Arnold chuckled. "I've waited two years to get remotely close to you. Surely you can wait an hour, maybe two." He said carelessly, biting a laugh down at Gemini, who grumbled louder.

"Why? Scared that I won't be gentle in your first time?" Gemini taunted haughtily. "This _is_ your first time, right?"

He nodded, moving his head upwards so it was inches away from hers. "It is. But you do realize I grew up in a dormitory of boys, right?" He moved downwards, placing her hands on both sides of her shoulder as he moved down, trailing kisses down to her belly and getting too close to her lacy black underwear. "I don't have to take my pants off to make you scream."

And for the next hour, Arnold was right.

The next morning, Gemini woke up in his arms, initially surprised that he was still there until she remembered that what she had with him wasn't the same thing she had with Teddy. _I love him,_ Gemini thought freely as she looked over his body and saw the beginning of a sunrise just behind the rooftop of Gringotts. _I love him, and he knows it. And so do I._ She tilted her head upwards and saw that he was already awake, smiling lovingly at her.

"Good morning, beautiful." He whispered in her ear. "Will you marry me?"

It was a big decision, one Gemini didn't have to think too hard on.

"Yes," she whispered back, wondering how it was even possible to be as happy as she was at that moment, not knowing that the days she would ever feel this happy again were finally numbered.


	29. A Happy Family

Chapter 28

He was trapped in a room with no apparent way out. Darkness stretched in all sides as far as he could see, and the only source of light was from the shots of green lights that immersed from four wands. The only source of sounds were the cackling laughter coming from the four, but even that was drowned out by the screams of the two people floating, their bodies contorting and their mouths wide open, screaming in pain.

Neville Longbottom immediately recognized what was happening. He tried to yell, a weak attempt to call for them, but he couldn't even hear his own voice against his parents' screams. He recognized the other four—three males with masks over their faces and a woman with black hair that was all over her face. Frozen on his spot to do anything to stop them, Neville clenched his fists, closing his eyes as he tried to drown out the sound of their screams.

The woman drew back her wand, laughing manically before she glowered at the bodies, which were still screaming from the three other Death Eaters. "Where is he?!" She shrieked. When they continued screaming, she yelled in frustration before pointing her wand back. " _Crucio!"_

Neville looked away, gritting his teeth and placing his clenched fists on either side of him. That was when he felt his wand in his pocket.

With tears in his eyes, Neville drew the wand and pointed it at the four. He didn't hesitate. " _Stupefy!"_ He yelled. A burst of red sparks hit one of the men first, and Neville skillfully repeated it on the others, barely missing a spell shot his way. They all sprawled on the ground, unconscious.

Neville ran to his parents, whose bodies were just a few meters from the Death Eaters. As he stepped closer, he wondered why one of his parents had long blonde hair.

 _Oh Merlin no…_ Neville thought horrified. _Hannah!_

He looked at the other body next to her. Instead of his dad's balding head, it was a head full of brown hair. _No…_

 _Hannah and Arnold._ Neville kneeled by them and tried to shake both of them, but neither of them stirred.

And behind him, he heard the sound of rustling. He turned around to see the woman standing over him.

But it wasn't Bellatrix. The woman was as pale as Bellatrix and had the same hair and eyes, but she wasn't Bellatrix.

It was Gemini Ridley.

"G-Gemini…" Neville breathed. But before he could continue, she gave him the coldest smile before pointing her wand at the three of them.

" _Avada Kedavra!"_

Neville woke up to the sound of Hannah screaming. He was sweating despite the bedroom windows were open, and his heart was racing. Neville tried to calm down, realizing that it was all just a dream, and Hannah's scream wasn't in pain.

"NEV, GET OVER HERE NOW!" Hannah screamed. Without thinking, Neville jumped out of bed, ran out the door, and into the living room. He saw Hannah and Arnold there, and he took a step back when he saw Gemini in a black dress that quickly reminded him of his dream.

"Neville!" Hannah squealed. "Arnold and Gemini are engaged!"

Neville looked at Gemini, and how he understood why he could mistake Gemini for Bellatrix Lestrange. They had similar skin, hair, and eyes, though they differed in a way that they looked different. From time to time he would have recurring nightmares of his parents, but he couldn't understand why Gemini suddenly came in the picture. But he looked at her closely, the Slytherin girl who had once been his student, and he figured she had been in a relationship long enough with his son that part of him was beginning to link the similarities between the two.

"Nev…dear, is something wrong?" Hannah asked when he didn't respond for a moment.

 _It's just a dream._ Neville shrugged, noticing the way Arnold smiled. He had never seem him happier. _They're going to be wonderful together._ He smiled warmly at her. "Welcome to the family, Gemini." He said. _Just a dream._

~0~

Hannah was so happy for her son's engagement—possibly even happier than Gemini and Arnold—that she put off working downstairs and hastily planned a family lunch upstairs. Neville had to return to Hogwarts to check on the greenhouse, but he promised that he would be back before lunch. Gemini and Arnold were helping out in the kitchen with Hannah, who was already planning the wedding.

"Oh, but of course we're not going to have the wedding here. Maybe along a nice field or something like that—but I heard Muggles got married in big places called _Cathedrals,_ so if you want a wedding like that, maybe we could plan one." Hannah babbled on as she watched the enchanted knives cut vegetables. "Now your father and I got married four months after we started dating—not judging that you're marrying after three months, of course—we had a very simple wedding so it didn't take long for us to get married after Neville proposed. Speaking of which, when do you plan to…?"

"Maybe in a few months—is that fine?" Arnold looked at Gemini, who was beside him helping by cutting water spinach. She nodded. "Maybe after Gemini gets this Auror thing going on."

"Oh, alright, but we should definitely throw an engagement party soon." Hannah gushed. She added quickly, "Just a small dinner downstairs with friends and family."

"I suppose, Hannah." Gemini consented.

Hannah laughed. "I'm just so happy. Just yesterday I was tugging Arnie along to the Hogwarts Express and now here I am cooking lunch with my future daughter-in-law." An idea popped in her head. "Speaking of which…Gemini, how would you feel about moving in up here?"

Gemini looked up from the vegetables, noticing Arnold turning a shade redder as well. "You could move out of the inn and into Arnold's room." Hannah beamed. "It's not the tidiest place in the house but I suppose you and Arnold are old enough to share the same room."

Gemini wondered if the we-stayed-out-really-late-that-you-didn't-see-Arnold-come-home excuse worked a while ago. "Uhh…"

"Mum, _please._ " Arnold said, flushed. "We just got engaged. We haven't even thought about a ton of details yet, let alone who stays where."

"Sorry—but I'm just so excited!" Hannah sighed. "I'll leave it to the two of you."

The three of them heard a loud thump from downstairs, and Hannah stood up. "Must be out of flour again, downstairs." She muttered as she took her apron off. "You two continue on. I'll be back."

The two of them heard Hannah go down the stairs and out the front door. They quietly looked at each other and laughed. "I'm guessing it'll be a handful living in the Longbottom flat." Gemini laughed.

"You'll never be bored." Arnold said dryly. "But, now that you're going to be part of the family…"

"What is it?"

"I heard mum talking to dad about wanting to retire from the Leaky Cauldron and work at Hogwarts." Arnold explained. "And now that I'm not studying and I've got a job of my own, mom plans on leaving soon. Madam Pomfrey's offering the job next year, if she's interested. She's always wanted the job for a while."

"Well that's great, isn't it? She and Neville get to work at the same place and she'll be doing something she likes."

Arnold nodded. "It is, and I'm happy for her if she takes it. But…"

"But?" Gemini reached and held his hand.

He winced. "If she's not running the Leaky Cauldron, either I will, or I have to move out for the next person who runs the place."

He looked at her and she understood. "I'd want your mother to be happy and be a Healer, but what do you want, Arnold?"

Arnold sighed. "I love my job. I love working in the library. But I don't see myself working two jobs or leaving the library to work here. Mum makes the job look easier than it is, but she's in charge of everything here and I don't think I can do the same."

"Then we'll move out." Gemini said before she realized how impossible that was.

"I'd love to, believe me. I'd love to have a normal house to live in without having to climb three stories. After Hogwarts, I was really hoping I could find a place of my own." Arnold said. "Don't you?"

"I know the feeling," she replied, remembering the time she was so desperate in getting a place of her own. He must have thought of the same thing because he smiled and leaned over the table. Gemini did the same and kissed him back.

"I just want a house of our own, you know? A normal house without having to pass through a pub where I can come home to my wife and kids." Arnold continued. "And let's be honest: we're not in a position to afford a house right now."

A pang of guilt passed through her because she knew it was true. "After I become an Auror, I'm pretty sure we can afford one." Gemini pointed out.

"And I've actually done pretty well. Mr. Blake says at this rate, I could be Junior Head of Archives in a few months' time."

"See?" Gemini smiled. "Problem solved. The Auror Training's like, what? Six months, tops?"

"Yeah. Here." He touched her hand. "We have to make a promise: We are not going to think about marriage until we can get a house of our own. Not until you finish Auror Training. Not until I get a promotion. Not until we can afford to move out of here—and somewhere decent."

She held her pinky out. "Pinky promise?"

He blinked. "Is that like an Unbreakable Vow or something?"

Gemini giggled. "It's a Muggle thing." She laughed, locking her pinky in his. "It's pretty much an Unbreakable Vow for Muggles, but it's not lethal."

"What happens if we break it, then?"

"Errr…it's not really binding. More of an honor code thing."

"Oh, okay then." He grinned as he locked his pinky with her. "I _pinky promise_ to wait for us to buy a house of our own before we can get married. Does the finger turn red or something before—"

"Never mind." Gemini exhaled, chuckling as she got back to work on the vegetables.

 _Six months before I get married—seven if I need time to plan a wedding. Maybe just a small one: his friends, my friends, his family—our family. Maybe eight._ Gemini tried to remember bits of what Harry told her about Auror Training. _He said "months", right? I'm sure he said months._ She felt guilty that she and Arnold had to wait, knowing that they loved each other so much. But they didn't want to start a life together unhappy, so Gemini let it go, silently hoping Hermione would give her a job offer after the weekend.


	30. Decisions, Decisions

Chapter 29

Every step to Hermione's office was like that of a warrior going to battle. Gemini felt sick as she passed the reception, a plethora of questions passing through her head. Did she have to answer a few questions? (She didn't prepare for that.) Was Hermione going to take it that Gemini was so good in research that she belonged in an office-based job? And worst of all—would Hermione question about her beliefs stated in the paper? Gemini shuddered to think what would happen if Hermione had a bottle of Veritaserum in her desk. She stopped in front of the door, taking a deep breath. _It's going to be fine. After today, everything will be just fine._

She knocked gingerly on the door before opening it. Gemini smiled nervously at the secretary. "Hi, I have a meeting with—"

"Yes, just in time. She'll see you inside now."

Gemini nodded and thanked her before stepping inside and heading to the other door across her. _Fuck it, let's get this over with,_ she said as her hand struggled to turn the knob. She forcefully turned the knob and pushed the door open and found herself staggering inside Hermione's Office, which was occupied by Hermione and Harry Potter.

"Err…good afternoon." Gemini said nervously. Harry looked at her and grinned.

"Gem, you're a smart girl. I'll give you one guess as to why I—the Head of the Auror Office—am joining your meeting with Hermione today."

At first, she didn't get it. But then it slowly dawned on her and the butterflies in her stomach were flying out of her body and making her heart lighter. She screamed, covering her mouth with her hands. "No?!"

The three of them laughed. They waited for her to calm down and take a seat in front of Hermione's desk before they continued. "You've impressed me, Gemini!" Hermione said heartily. "Your report was very impressive, one of the best I've read, to be honest."

Harry nodded. "It's important to know what you're fighting against when you're in the Dark Arts, so to show that much on your report…it's like you were there and on their side!"

Gemini laughed, more out of relief than Harry's joke. The room seemed to be spinning, and she couldn't think straight. The only thing clear on her head was that she was this close to being an Auror, and closer to have a bigger salary that could buy her a house with Arnold. "This is wonderful!" Gemini said, her voice wobbly. "I can't wait to start, oh my god! You guys don't know how much this means to me."

Hermione smiled at her enthusiasm and a thick stack of papers at her. "It's good to hear that, because Auror training starts next week and you'll be joining the other trainees. This is the contract for the training program. After you take a look and read it—and I _do_ suggest you read it, as the conditions are important and it's nothing like those terms and conditions Muggles never seem to read—if you could sign it now, you'll be all set for training and we're done."

Gemini took the paper, which was printed like a formal Muggle contract. Hermione had already scribbled her name on the first paragraph, and the fact that her name was already there made it seem so surreal. _This is it!_

 _ **DEPARTMENT OF MAGICAL LAW ENFORCEMENT  
AUROR OFFICE  
MINISTRY OF MAGIC**_

 _ **This is to certify that**_ _Gemini Ridley__ _ **, who will be referred to in this contract as the "TRAINEE", is of legal age and has met the qualifications and requirements to begin the Auror Training Program (ATP)…**_

She scanned through the requirements, mentally ticking off all of them.

 _ **By entering the ATP, the Trainee agrees to the terms and conditions stated in this contract. Insubordination, recusant behavior, and disregard for the terms and conditions during the ATP may result in the dismissal of Trainee from the program.**_

 _ **TERMS AND CONDITIONS**_

 _ **The ATP is a three year training program—**_

" _Three years?!"_ Gemini thought apprehensively. She was so certain that it was shorter than that, though now that she thought about it, Harry might have mentioned something about three years. _This is longer than I thought. A hell lot longer. But by then, at least I'll be already married and living in my own place._

– _ **set by the Auror Office to train and evaluate potential Aurors. The ATP consists of character and aptitude tests, along with practical subjects required by Aurors to know.**_

 _ **The trainee must maintain a good moral character during the program. A Trainee who is arrested or found guilty of any crime, charges, or anything alike of any varying degree will be disqualified from the ATP.**_

 _ **The Trainee will go through rigorous training for different fields of the ATP.**_ _ **The ATP includes real-life application simulations and on-the-job training in his or her area, where he/she may be assigned and thus is not allowed to relocate their residential address more than twice during the program.**_

 _ **FOR FEMALE TRAINEES: the ATP's rigorous training is designed to make potential Aurors ready for the rigorous job that follows it. Absences in the ATP due to menstrual related reasons are thus unexcusable and will count as an absence in the Trainee's attendance (see Absences on p. 3). Furthermore, female Trainees are discouraged to become pregnant in the span of their three year program. If found pregnant during training, the Trainee must leave the program immediately, though is allowed to re-join the program after recuperation after deliberation from the Auror Office (see Official Leaves on p. 3).**_

As she went through the rest of the contract, Gemini found it harder to keep a smile on her face. This was the contract to what she wanted—to become an Auror. But everything in the terms made her realize she had to put her life on hold for the next three years—the last thing she wanted to do. Suddenly those two had become connected to each other in a cruel twist of fate.

The terms was another thing. She couldn't get a vacation longer than a weekend. She couldn't leave Great Britain unless it was part of her training. None of the terms said she couldn't get married within the three years, but considering the position she was in and the promise she and Arnold made about buying their own place, it was like Destiny telling her that she could not have both things she really wanted.

"My…that's a lot to take." Gemini muttered weakly. "Three years…"

"It's not exactly three years." Harry clarified, and Gemini felt her hopes rise. "Based on your good record in D.A.D.A., it'll take a few months less than three years before you're ready to take the exam."

 _Fuck._ Gemini grimaced as she scanned the rest of the pages regarding other matters for the Auror Training Program. From what she could tell, it was very easy to get kicked out of the program and very hard to complete it. _This is what I've wanted for a long time now. This is just a small sacrifice compared to what I can be three years from now. So why do I feel like…like I don't want it?_

Her breath got caught in her throat when she finally saw what she wanted to see:

 _ **SALARY**_

 _Here we go,_ Gemini thought. She calculated in her head how much she would need to buy a house of her own. She and Arnold have browsed through houses the other day when she took him to a computer café and taught him (or at least, tried to) how to use a computer. There was a nice, decent-looking house in Surrey that caught Gemini's eye, which was worth more than a hundred thousand pounds. Assuming her salary was tripled and Arnold got a promotion in a few months, they could afford it before Easter came along. She hoped to have a June wedding, just before Hannah was set to leave and be the next Healer. Based on the terms, it would have to be a quick wedding with a short honeymoon not outside Britain, but it would have to do. She scanned hopefully below the heading.

 _ **Trainees will receive a monthly salary of 350 Galleons. Trainees who request salaries in Muggle currency should note that their salary is subject to the exchange rate issued by Gringotts Wizarding Bank during the last day of every month. For other expenses and benefits, see Benefits, p. 10.**_

The smile on her face disappeared. _350 Galleons?!_ She thought perplexedly. "Uhh…is this right? Just 350 Galleons?"

Harry nodded. "Not many wizards make it through Auror training, and many choose to leave. Accounting upstairs decided that it's unwise to give Auror salaries to trainees before they pass. Minister Shacklebolt thought it was a good way of weeding out those who were in it for the job and those who just wanted the money. If you pass the training, you make—Hermione can I tell her?—around nine hundred and fifty Galleons. About a thousand if you go regular on Azkaban duty."

 _Don't cry,_ she told herself as she felt her eyes warm itself. _Don't cry, don't cry—don't you dare cry in front of them._

She wanted to cry. 350 Galleons was barely bigger than her internship salary. And to have that salary for the next three years…it would be impossible for her and Arnold to get married and move out before Hannah left for Hogwarts. She looked up and saw Harry and Hermione looking expectantly at her.

"This is a very big decision…" Gemini said unsurely. "Do you mind if I call my fiancé first before I sign it?"

"You fianc—you're engaged to Neville's son?" Harry asked, surprised.

She nodded. "How did you know?"

"I remember your last day in the Auror Office, said you were going out with his son. That's glad to hear."

Hermione smiled. "Congratulations, Gemini! That's wonderful news!" She stood up and motioned to the fireplace on the corner of her office. "You can use my fireplace to call. Harry and I are about to attend a meeting soon, so we'll leave you to it. We'll be back around three so hopefully you have an answer by the end of the day."

"See ya," Harry waved before he and Hermione wished her luck and went out the door. Alone in Hermione's office, Gemini sent a call to Arnold's office in the library, and moments later, his head appeared in the fireplace.

"Hey, Gemini, how did it go?" Arnold asked eagerly. "Am I engaged to an Auror yet?"

"Actually…no." Gemini gave a bitter laugh.

"Oh, I'm so sorry…"

"You're engaged to the latest Auror _trainee._ "

Arnold sighed in relief. "Thank Merlin! That's wonderful news!" He yelled in delight. "I'm so proud of you, after all that hard work you put in, it's only fitting that you…"

He noticed her grim face. "What's wrong, dear?"

She explained it to him, how her salary would not change for the next three years and how their wedding was nearly impossible. Arnold listened patiently, waiting until she was done. "I don't mind bending our promise a little bit, if you want." Arnold said when she was through. "Maybe I'm underestimating myself. I can always run two jobs. We'll stay in my room, my parents will be gone most of the year, and perhaps they'll let me convert their room to a nursery and I'd let them board in the boarding house."

"I thought you didn't want to raise a child above a pub?"

His face made a shrugging action. "We could always move in the Longbottom house in Essex. It's dad's, technically, but I'm sure he'd let us stay—"

"Didn't your father let his cousin stay there?"

"I could always tell them to—"

"I don't want to start my marriage forcing my husband's family out their house." Gemini sighed. "Your father was an Auror once, right? How did he and your mother do it?"

"How did my mother survive being married to an Auror trainee?" Arnold chucked. "She told me it wasn't easy."

Gemini giggled. "Do tell."

"She was a patient girlfriend, my mother. She'd been dating father before the Battle of Hogwarts—she was two months pregnant with me by that time—and they married quickly after. After that, father went into Auror training, and mother always recalled how patient she was when it came to the conditions he had to follow. At times, father'd be gone for days for training with no message where he'd gone off to, and she'd worry about him all the time. But more importantly, she chose to give up an offer to be Healer in St. Mungo's and got a job at the Leaky Cauldron so she wouldn't be far from work and could raise me while dad was at training." Arnold recalled. "He quit when I was five, took a teaching job at Hogwarts because he liked it more than being an Auror."

"That must've upset Hannah." Gemini muttered. "All that sacrifice and your father didn't even last for more than two years. And being Professor meant he was in Hogwarts nearly year-round."

He looked at her in surprise. "Actually, she wasn't. I remember the day father said he was leaving the Auror Office. Mother was happy for him, said he'd be great at Hogwarts.'

"What? But she's practically changed her life to fit his! Isn't it such a waste for her?"

"No, actually. I asked mother about that two years ago, and she said she loved father enough that she'd make sacrifices for what he wanted because she knew he'd do the same for her—and he did." Arnold explained. "And so do I, Gemini. You've wanted to be an Auror ever since we met not far from where I'm standing. I've seen you work for it, and all that time and effort spent on that report would be a waste on _your_ part if you didn't take the job, not on mine. Don't give it up just because of a little setback. Besides, I might just find someone to run the pub and inn for me, like an assistant manager. You've done too much to back out now."

But Gemini remained unconvinced. "So have you! You've wanted to be Junior Head of Magical Archives for a while now, I can't let you risk balancing two jobs! And we're getting married, which is pretty much impossible under the terms I'm in. You've waited so long for this…"

"First of all, I love you, Gemini."

"I love you too, Arnold. But—"

"See? You'd do the same for me, wouldn't you?"

"Yes, but—"

"Then I know I'm doing the right thing. I love you more than a promotion, and I'd rather take on two jobs than to see you give up what you've worked hard on for so long. And as for the marriage thing, I'd rather see you happily married in three years' time than married to me tomorrow unhappy that you gave away all that for me."

She didn't realize it but her eyes were already tearing at what Arnold had said. She heard Arnold mumble something behind him, saying he'd get on with it after talking to her. "Who is that?"

"Head of Archives. Needs me to do some research upstairs on Chinese dragons. Told him I'd be on it after this."

"You should go." Gemini told him. "I'll be fine here."

"Okay…" Arnold said, quite unconvinced. "Darling, do what makes you happy, please? I love you so much."

"I love you too." She said, trying not to make sniffing sounds. "I'll see you later!"

"Later. And we'll celebrate on that Auror training thing, year? Love you!"

Gemini flicked her wand and the fireplace turned bright orange again. Frustrated and confused, Gemini sat on the chair, her heart still torn on where she wanted to go from that point.

From Hermione's desk, the contract was calling her to sign at the bottom line. This was what she wanted, wasn't it? Even before she met Arnold, she wanted nothing more after her life in Hogwarts than to be an Auror. She knew she'd be very good at it, and she couldn't ever see herself doing anything else.

And then there was Arnold. She was his top priority, and Gemini knew it. _But if I take this job…is this my way of saying he isn't mine?_ Gemini shook her head. _Not necessarily. He understands how much I want this job. I'd do the same for him if it was his job on the line, but currently, it's not._

And then there was that instinct, that same opportunistic, ambitious instinct that had made her the best student of her level despite all the odds against her. Now that same instinct was telling her that this job was where she was meant to be, and if Arnold was bending backwards for her to take the job, why shouldn't she? This was what she wanted, after all.

Gemini made her decision. _This is what I want._

She nearly jumped out of her seat when the door opened and Hermione stepped in. "Sorry," Hermione said hastily as she noticed Gemini breaking out of a trance. She knew the difficulty of making hard decisions too well, and though this was her office, she didn't want to disturb Gemini's thinking, just as she hated when people did that. "I just forgot some papers to bring upstairs…"

"It's fine," Gemini shrugged. The contract was on her lap and she was nervously brushing her finger on the corner of the papers. "I've made my decision anyway."

Hermione stopped from behind her desk. "Really? So…"

Gemini stood up, a pen on one hand and the contract in the other. She placed both on the desk. "I'm sorry, I won't be joining the training program."

Hermione gasped, completely taken aback. "Are you sure? Why?"

Gemini pursed her lips. "Let's just say…at this point of my life, I can't afford to put my life on hold for the next three years."

"What do you mean?" Hermione asked curiously. "Is this about your fiancé?"

"Yes, but it's quite a long story…"

"You can tell me," Hermione said kindly. She dropped her papers on the desk and sat on the other couch beside hers. "Besides, Kingsley's Board Meeting is starting with the Muggle Liasion Office, so I've got time."

There was something about Hermione's smile that let Gemini know that she could trust her. Gemini didn't go into detail, but she explained to Hermione why she couldn't take the job. Part of her hoped for the slim chance that Hermione would understand her plight, recognize that she was smart enough to do away with half of the training, and give her a higher salary. She didn't, but she did empathized with her.

"I've had the same thing with Ron, don't worry. Money was always an issue, but it wasn't something that we chose to let affect us. We just sort of managed." Hermione smiled understandingly. "It's different for you, though, and I suppose possibly in a more difficult position."

"Well, what did you do, Hermione?"

"I let him take Auror training. He really wanted to be an Auror. What kind of girlfriend would I be if I didn't let him?" Hermione said, sighing. "We had a simple wedding, of course, just the family and close friends and nothing too fancy that it'd affect his training."

"So…I should take the job because he's letting me take it?"

"You should take the job because you know you want it, and then appreciate Arnold for being an understanding fiancé." Hermione corrected. She looked at Gemini, her face blank. "Don't you want it?"

Gemini scoffed. "Want it? Of course. But I want my life with him even more, even more than how I wanted this job. I'm sorry, Hermione."

Hermione waved her hand. "No need to apologize. You must really love this guy if you're forgetting the sleepless nights writing that report." She laughed. "Of course I know about the sleepless nights. I used to impress professors with reports like these."

She put the papers on one side of the desk. "Then if I can't put you in the Auror Office, I can offer you an office job in the Improper Use of Magic Office. It's not quite as exciting as the Auror Office, as you can remember, but it pays significantly better than your job right now and—"

"I'm sorry, Hermione, but I don't think I've made it clear: I'm resigning from the Ministry." Gemini said slowly. "I appreciate all you've done for me, but a Ministry job isn't going to cut it."

Hermione blinked. "Then what are you planning to do?"

"I've got an idea." Gemini smiled. "I know where to go from here, and hopefully, it'll go right."

Hermione pursed her lips. "Well, if you're sure this is what you want…"

"Honestly, I feel like it is." Gemini admitted candidly. "Like, I don't think I'm going to regret anything once I walk out the door. Who knows? Maybe this is what love really is—choosing not to let someone you love put yourself first unless you know they'll be fine as well. You know?"

Hermione blushed. "Only too well. We're gonna miss you, Gemini."

"Hope to see you all around. And I really appreciate the internship, Hermione."

"You take care, Gemini." Hermione said supportively, hugging her like an older sister. She collected her papers from the desk. "You're a bright young woman and I'm sure you'll get where you want to go next."

"Thank you." Gemini said quietly. "Do you mind if I use the fireplace one more time? I'd like to make just one more call."

"Of course, go ahead." Hermione said, stepping at the threshold of the door. She turned around abruptly. "Is it fine if I tell Harry after the meeting? He'll be devastated you aren't going to shadow him in the future, but I'm sure he'll understand."

"You think he will?"

"He went through Auror Training, and I'm sure he'll understand why you can't spend three years of your life here." Hermione assured her. "Well…good luck."

After Hermione left the room, Gemini leaned back on the couch and sighed. _This is the right choice,_ she told herself. _It's not an Auror job, but who knows? Maybe it'll be just as fun. God knows it's already high-paying._

She went to the fireplace and dropped some dust into the fire, which immediately turned green. She called the name she wanted to talk to, and moments later his face appeared in the fire. "Yes?"

Gemini coughed. "Good afternoon, Mr. Malfoy. It's Gemini Ridley. You may not remember me, but you offered me a job two months ago. I know it's been I while, but I was hoping that offer still stands."


	31. The Employer Who Found a Potioneer

**Hi everyone! I'll be very busy in the next few days so expect the next of the last 8 chapters to come out on Monday or later. I just want to thank everyone for reading and hope you all enjoyed this! :-)**

Chapter 30

Malfoy Manor was huge, one of the biggest mansions Gemini had seen in her life. It was even bigger than her wealthy friends' homes; the yard with a long driveway stretching in the middle towards the house was enough space for the summer house Abigail Flint invited her to stay in during their summer vacation after their fifth year. The shrubbery was finely manicured, the fountains on the side immaculate with clear water that shimmered off the morning sun. There were no Muggle cars, though Gemini doubted a wealthy Slytherin family like the Malfoys would have anything to do with Muggle inventions. Nonetheless, the large manor was enough of a signal to the viewing passerby to know that the Malfoys were immensely wealthy.

She couldn't believe her luck that the position was still opened. Yesterday, he invited her to the manor for an interview on the position, and here she was, ringing the doorbell, hoping that everything would go right.

Unlike yesterday, she wasn't feeling nervous. Gemini thought she should be, seeing as she would be unemployed if Mr. Malfoy wasn't impressed or had second thoughts about her. She couldn't stand the thought of asking her friends for a job, and she hadn't an idea where she'd find a job. She even wondered if she would have to use the half-blood card, if Draco was one of those Slytherin pure-bloods who still secretly despised Muggle-borns—and as far as Gemini researched about his family in the Second Wizarding War, he probably was.

And yet, she felt no butterflies in her stomach, no anxiety whatsoever, and felt eerily calm, as though she felt like she was at home. One look at the diamond-plated windows, however, and she quickly thought differently.

 _Who knows?_ Gemini thought, surprised at how cheery she felt. _Maybe if this goes well and I work for the company, I could earn enough money to buy a place like this. Or maybe something smaller, and with normal windows without diamonds._

Draco opened the door moments later. "Ah, Ms. Ridley, just in time."

"Good morning, Mr. Malfoy. I'd like to thank you again for the job opportunity."

"It's no problem, Ms. Ridley—may I call you Gemini?" Draco smiled politely as he shook her hand. "I was actually quite glad you called. It's not every day I find someone who has the same qualifications as you do. I would have called again, but you made it clear on our first meeting that you were satisfied with your Ministry job. Shall we adjourn to the drawing room?"

Draco led her down a tastefully decorated hallway. "Unfortunately, my wife and co-CEO, Astoria, won't be here today. She's not very hands-on with the company, so it's just the two of us today." Draco said. That wasn't totally true: Astoria nearly had a heart attack after hearing that he was planning to hire Gemini for Malfoy Apothecary's latest division that it had taken the better part of the morning to convince her that Gemini wasn't a threat anymore, as long as she never knew the truth. Astoria believed Draco, but she didn't want to risk freaking out seeing Gemini in person and had taken a quick visit to her sister's house in London.

Gemini nodded, admiring the luxurious décor. The sides were lined with tasteful ornaments, ancient armor, and portraits of blonde wizards who resembled Mr. Malfoy. "Has this manor been in your family for a long time?" Gemini asked, breaking the silence with light conversation.

Draco nodded. "For generations, since King William I got the land for a Malfoy. That was back when wizards and witches weren't a big secret."

"Is that from the Middle Ages as well?" Gemini pointed at the armor.

Draco nodded. "It was some Muggle king's. The one with six wives, I believe."

"Henry VII." Gemini told him. "So do you collect Muggle artefacts too? I wouldn't have taken you for that kind of collector."

He shrugged. "On occasion, when it's extremely rare and old and the Muggle had some connection to magic. Honestly, have Muggles never considered Amortentia when an old, fat tyrant king has six beautiful wives? I only collect old alchemy prints nowadays, the ones you don't normally see in books anymore. The rest of these are from my father's collection, as well as all my ancestors'."

"For centuries?" Gemini asked curiously. She had grown up with Slytherins long enough to enjoy tasteful artefacts, though she did not quite enjoy history classes. "What's your oldest possession here?"

"Hmm…it's between a shriveled crow head and the cup Merlin and Morgana Le Fay shared before she put him in a long sleep—though I'd like to think it was the latter. According to legend, it was the cup they shared before Morgana betrayed and froze Merlin, and it still has traces of their lips on the cup and drinking from it makes a wizard powerful enough to bend even the most absolute laws in using magic—for a while, at least."

"But surely someone would have drunken it by now, wouldn't they? It should just be a cup now, shouldn't it?"

"It should," Draco admitted, "but fortunately the cup has never been in the hands of someone who'd want to try to use it, but rather for the sake of having the cup itself. Besides, it's just a legend, and legend says that power begets power, and only an already powerful wizard can survive drinking from it."

"Wow. Any other artefacts you have I should stay away from?"

"A room full of it, actually." Draco grinned. "My ancestors loved collecting Dark artefacts. After the war, the Ministry thought it dangerous that my family—considering the circumstances we were in—kept the artefacts. It was our family heirlooms, however, so we didn't want to part with it. Father had to do an Unbreakable Vow that we'd never use it just to keep it here."

Draco looked over his shoulder. "You were in the Auror Office months ago, weren't you? Were you there when they…you know, they thought I was…"

Gemini remembered her first day in the Auror Office, when she managed to find out that Lord Voldemort's wand was being smuggled in London. She could clearly remember Ron suspecting Draco Malfoy. "We did an investigation in Borgin and Burkes on a Dark artefact. By the way Borgin acted, you sounded like the main suspect."

"Really? What were they looking for?"

Gemini bit her lip. "I'm afraid I can't say, but it was something extremely dark, something that belonged to the Dark Lord's side."

"Was that what they were looking for?" Draco asked bitterly. "It must have been something more important than simple Death Eater tokens, seeing as they raided me. That damned raid cost me a week of productivity at the office. Went through all my property, those Aurors. I've never bought anything apart from alchemy sets for the past seventeen years, but most of them found that hard to believe."

Draco led her to the drawing room, his focus secretly solely on making sure he gave Gemini the job without making it look too easy like he was handing it on a sliver plate. She seemed so happy when he saw her and went with the pretense of offering her a job a few months back, but obviously something must have gone wrong that she was looking for a new job. As her cousin, Draco felt like this was his way for making up the abandonment and all those years in the orphanage. But he was not foolish enough as to give her any job, and if she was as smart as Professor Slughorn said, he had to have her for the position in Malfoy Apothecary's latest division.

They sat on opposite couches across the fireplace. On the table between them was a stack of papers and a sealed envelope.

Draco cleared his throat. "Now, before we begin, I'd like to tell you a bit about the job position. You know Malfoy Apothecary deals with mainly manufacturing potion ingredients, and just a few years ago we opened a winery division, right? Well, we're planning on opening a third division for ready-made potions for special cures and potions wizards have to brew on their own. The board thinks it'll be profitable to enter the potions market and compete with other potion companies that deal with potions that cure. We plan to launch the division before the year ends, and before that time, we hope to have better quality potions compared to the competition, and hopefully potions that have never been out in the market before. That's where you come in."

Gemini nodded, her attention fully on him. "You'll be the Head Potioneer." He said as he handed her some papers. It was similar to the contract Hermione gave her, though not as thick and more promising, Gemini noted as she saw that the benefits page was over two pages long. While she leafed through it, Draco opened an envelope and looked at the packet HR had sent him, including Gemini's school record and the interview questions he needed to ask her.

"In a nutshell, you'll be in charge of quality control of the potions that come out of here, serving as potions consultant to the other potioneers, and you and your own team of potioneers will be tasked on coming up with new potions. For every new potion, however, you'll have to send me a report, which I'll propose to the board before we can have it manufactured. You'll have your own personal office in the headquarters, and if there are any Potioneers you'd like to collaborate with, the company will allow it. I'll let you have a few minutes to read the contract first and see if the job interests you."

Gemini knew enough to know that she was very interested. From what she quickly read, the job was something she could see herself doing. She wasn't going to be fighting the Dark Arts, but she was very good at Potions, and the job didn't seem so bad. The contract gave more lenient terms, including paid vacations and pay raises. It seemed too good to be true that Gemini thought that her heart was racing out of her chest in excitement, lucky that this job was still waiting for her after two months.

That was when she noticed that the thumping sound wasn't coming from her heart, but from a distant sound nearby. She thought it was her heart beating nervously the moment she sat down, but that wasn't until she realized that she was as relaxed as she was a few minutes ago, and the sound wasn't her heart.

She would have thought it was a grandfather clock nearby, but the thuds were too far apart for whatever it was to be a second-hand in a clock. "What is that?" Gemini asked. Draco looked up from the papers.

"What's what?"

"That sound." Gemini said.

 _Thump. Thump. Thump._ "Oh, that's probably my son, Scorpius." Draco said carelessly pointing upwards. "His room's not far above us, and I asked him not to play around the house when I'm doing business. He's very keen with his new broom, though he can't get it to stay on the air for more than a few seconds."

"Oh." Gemini said before looking back at the contract, trying hard to block out the sound, but even the softest sound of the knocking distracted her.

After a few minutes, Draco spoke up. "Can we begin the interview?"

"Certainly." She put down the contract.

Draco followed most of the questions provided by the company's HR. He asked about her educational background, her experience in Potions, and questions that tested her for any negative traits. The HR provided questions about potion making, and not only did Gemini answer them perfectly, she also provided better alternatives, some of them, Draco knew were more profitable.

In reviewing her school records, Draco was impressed by her Oustanding N.E.W.T. in Potions, and her record included a letter of

recommendation from Professor Slughorn. He asked about the Potions Incident Slughorn mentioned, and after she told him, Draco was impressed at how well she managed to handle it. He slowly began to see that Gemini, despite her past, was a perfectly normal witch who excelled in her studies, and it quickly became clear that she was the one he would hire whether or not he was her cousin.

At one point of the interview, Draco learned that Gemini was already engaged to Neville Longbottom's son. "Arnold, isn't it?" She nodded. He tried not to think of the irony of what happened between Gemini's mother and Arnold Longbottom's grandparents. "Well, congratulations. I'm sure he's a good man. Comes from a good family."

Draco went through the papers, making sure that all the questions were taken care of. "One last question: I'm quite curious, but why did you leave the Ministry? The last time we met, you were so certain about wanting to work there."

"I was," she agreed, "but if I'm being honest, I actually had the wrong idea about the Auror training program. I'd be spending three years training with a low salary, and my fiancé and I are saving for a house before we get married."

"I see." Draco nodded, feeling slightly guilty. As the only one alive whose parent had been a Black that wasn't disowned, most of the Black family's wealth—except everything in Number Twelve Grimmauld Place, which Sirius Black gave to Harry Potter—went to him. Gemini was a Black, and thus the rightful heiress to the Black Family vault in Gringotts, which Draco was aware was filled with centuries' worth of treasures and Galleons that would put Malfoy Manor to shame. It was his now, while Gemini had to give up the career she wanted, not knowing she was entitled to more money than she could spend. He couldn't even give her a fraction of that money without drawing suspicion.

He sighed, coming to his decision. _I'll be damned if I make her life harder than it needs to be._

"Well, I see no reason to keep you waiting." Draco said happily. "You've got the job. When are you available to start?"

"Really?" Gemini gasped. "That's—that's great! Thank you so much, Mr. Malfoy!"

"I expect good things to come from you, Gemini." Draco said gallantly. "Now, if you'll sign here…"

He took her contract and flipped it to the last page. Gemini saw that she didn't go through that page, as there was a clause about her salary. Her heart skipped a beat as she saw that her starting salary would be nine hundred and fifty galleons, not including the other benefits she saw earlier. It was like Christmas came early and Santa was feeling extremely generous.

After going through some technicalities of the contract with Draco, Gemini finally signed the contract. "Welcome to Malfoy Apothecary," Draco said when it was done, feeling proud of himself that he was helping Gemini out. Nearing noon, Gemini and Draco promptly ended their meeting after everything was settled.

"I'll see you next week, then, Gemini." Draco stood up and shook her hand. He led her out of the drawing room and into the hallway.

"It's a lovely home, Mr. Malfoy." Gemini said as they walked back. "It looks quite familiar, though."

 _Fuck._ "Familiar?" Draco asked, looking over his shoulder, trying not to think about that one night she was here seventeen years ago. "In what way?"

Gemini thought hard. The hallway did seem familiar, but she couldn't place how—she just knew something about it sparked some indistinguishable memory in her head. She looked around, trying to see what it was that was catching her eye.

"The ceilings, I think. Yes, it's a lot like the Slytherin common rooms." She said finally, pointing upwards at the high, austere, slanting roof.

"Oh...yes, now that you mention it…" Draco said, more relieved than he let show.

He kept her mind busy with conversation, not giving her a chance to be distracted until he led her to the door. He bade her a good afternoon, watching as she walked a good distance away before disapparating from the driveway. He sighed in relief, mentally patting himself on the back after handling Gemini well.

 _I'll never be her cousin, but I can be a good boss to her._ Draco thought as he went back to the drawing room. _Who knows? Maybe she'll even climb up the ladder and become Head of the Potions Division in the company one day. You'll never know…_

He went into the drawing room and heard that the soft knocking sounds finally stopped. Draco took the parchments, taking a mental note to remind Scorpius not to make so much noise when he was doing business. He kept Gemini's contract on one hand—he'd have to let his owl send that to HR today—and stuffed the rest of the papers in the other. He went down a smaller hallway past the drawing room, one which led to two doors: his own office, and a smaller storage room where he kept important papers, parchments, and prototypes of Malfoy Apothecary's products. He tossed the extra papers to one side—his secretary, Tim, would take care of it later—before heading to his office, where his owl was already waiting.

Draco fed his owl a few pellets while he waited. He stashed the necessary papers into one envelope before finally he looked at Gemini's contract one last time.

He took Gemini's headshot from her school records and attached it to the contract. Her pretty face was smiling at him like a hopeful young woman filled with ambition. She must have already been seventeen when the photo was taken, since she didn't look any different than she did at that moment.

 _That's the end of that, isn't it?_ Draco thought, smiling at her photo. _I've done it. And mother thought you were dangerous._

Draco slipped the contract in the envelope, sealing it before tying it to his owl and sending it off. He sat on his desk, sighing as he could now focus on the rest of his work, finally relieved that, for the first time, he could get on without ever having to wonder what was happening to the cousin he lost.


	32. The Potioneer Who Found a Home

Chapter 31

 _One Month Later_

"I thought we made a deal not to do work stuff on Sundays." Arnold muttered, not looking up from the copy of _Romeo and Juliet_ Gemini gave him for his research on historical Muggle literature.

"Who says I'm working?" Gemini said defensively, trying to keep a clam face as she frantically closed all the tabs of The Oncology Medical Journal and opened a YouTube video of Pewdiepie that she kept on her bookmarks bar for occasions like these. "I'm not working."

"You were making that face you do whenever you're planning potions. And you sure as hell never make that face when you're on that Flutter thing."

" _Twitter._ And I don't make a faces."

"Gestures, then. Whenever you're thinking of new potions you always look at that—" he pointed at the plaque across the room, "—and then your fingertips shake over the letters and you look so distracted but at the same time your eyes look like they're processing a million words. You were just doing that."

"I…shut it." Gemini grunted. She looked at the golden plaque shining from the top of her desk and pointed at it. "And FYI, I got _that_ thanks to an idea that came over the weekend."

He took one glance at the plaque, smiling. "Just don't get too worked up, Gem. I'm sure the Most Extraordinary Society of Potioneers can wait a while before they give you another one of those. Hell, I wouldn't be surprised if we'd had a room full of these things by the time we get a place of our own."

"I won't," she promised. _A place of our own,_ she thought hopefully. In the meantime, their own place was simply Gemini's room in the Leaky Cauldron's inn. The two were reclined on opposite sides of her bed, and Gemini sat up and bent forward to kiss Arnold, who was leaning on one of the canopy posts by her feet. "Happy?"

He grinned. "Ecstatic. Continue."

Gemini leaned back on the pillows, put the Lenovo back on her lap, and re-opened the tabs, and like a revved-up car, her mind began to race before she was interrupted. She involuntarily looked up from her small laptop and at the golden plaque Professor Slughorn tearfully gave her during her initiation into the Most Extraordinary Society of Potioneers before looking back at her screen. Her fingers were tingling like the way they always did when she had a big idea for a new potion. She was thinking how she had never met a wizard who had cancer, but now that she understood (or at least had a faint idea) how cancer cells worked, her mind was racing, visualizing Malfoy Apothecary's Potion Division mass producing vials of miniscule pixies that fed on cancer cells. Making potion-born pixies was a difficult thing—as Arnold, Gemini, and the rest of the Slytherins and Gryffindors learned in their fifth year—but if Gemini could be the first Potioneer to produce something like that… _Wizards don't need it, but if a Muggle-born or Half-blood who knew a Muggle who needed it…_

It had been a month since Gemini started working for Malfoy Apothecary, and during that time, it was as if she had swam in a lake of Felix Felicis, with all the good fortune that had come her way. At the beginning, she had been worried that she would constantly regret her decisions and would wonder about the what-ifs: She loved Arnold, that was certain, but did she really want to be married at such an early age or was she just forcing herself to get married now because it was convenient for everyone? She was an outstanding Potions student, but being good at something wasn't the same thing as enjoying something, and would she be happy with her job? Surprisingly, however, after she started working, none of these questions ever seriously passed through Gemini's mind.

A week after she got her new job, Arnold was promoted to Junior Head of Archives at the library and they could finally afford to open up a vault at Gringotts. Along with their previous savings, an early wedding gift from Arnold's parents, and an unexpected thousand Galleon bonus from Draco Malfoy after Gemini's induction to the Most Extraordinary Society of Potioneers, they had almost four thousand Galleons between them—a small amount compared to the housing prices in London (though Arnold had no issues with living in Wiltshire or Berkshire so Gemini could live closer to work) but it was still progress on their part.

Their schedules and living arrangements fortunately never strained their relationship, despite their hectic jobs. Because of their exhausting new jobs, it became normal for Arnold to sleep over in her room. In the morning, they left for work at the same time: Arnold would see Gemini off in the Floo Network before walking to the library. Gemini got off at work an hour before he did, and she almost always stopped to pick him up after work, and then they'd have dinner out or with his parents. They went out together every Saturdays, and on Sundays—or so they planned—they'd spent lazy afternoons in Gemini's room.

Arnold was almost becoming something of an obsession to her. She had no idea why, but she would sometimes catch herself thinking irrationally, like the type of obsessed school girl stereotype Gemini despised. But Gemini could feel her heart beat faster when they kissed, her legs grow weak when he spent the night in her room, her cheeks blush evidently against her pale skin at the simplest, sweetest things he'd do for her. When she wasn't focused on quality control and crushed bezoars, she liked to daydream about what her life would be like when they finally married. She knew she was happy with him, and she was quite certain that she was making the right decision.

Meanwhile, the Potions Division was set to go public before Christmastime and everyone was scrambling to get work done. Gemini personally had a hand at hiring her team of Potioneers, drilling them with difficult questions that would make the legendary Severus Snape give a glimmer of a smile. She only hired those who she knew who could keep up with the job and could make extremely difficult potions only a few could get right. She was constantly ambushed by owls and paper airplanes from the Potioneers. She had several meetings every day: from the Board Members, to propose new potions to create; to Creatives, to clarify if the potions were too acidic for plastic bottling; to Legal, to patent new Potion recipes created by her team; to Accounting, who kept begging her to cut back on her team's spending on premium rats for experiments. It was a tough and hectic job, with the launch inching closer day by day and making everyone frantic, but Gemini enjoyed the fast-pace setting and was too busy enjoying her job that she forgot all about her stint in the Ministry.

It took her two weeks in Malfoy Apothecary to prove that she was the right choice for Head Potioneer. After investing in a second-hand laptop, and portable WiFi, Gemini began research on Muggle cures. She found Muggle medicine so much easier to understand when she was an expert in potions, and that was the key to her breakthrough. She began studying and dissecting the ingredients of Muggle medicine, examining the properties of the artificial and natural ingredients and understanding what about it made Muggles better. Then she took the natural ingredients and potion substitutes and made potions that were not only guaranteed to be safe and effective for common illnesses, but also low-cost for the company to mass produce, producing extremely affordable cures to the wizarding community. With her discovery, Gemini gave the Potions Division of Malfoy Apothecary a competitive edge against Muggle pharmaceuticals Muggle-borns and half-bloods may turn to, and at the same time it wasn't a Muggle medicine and those who secretly discriminated against Muggle inventions couldn't call it Muggle-made and would buy it for its low price.

Her discovery was so groundbreaking that the Potions Division was already quietly operating, supplying St. Mungo's with her new cures. News of her medicine leaked to competitor companies, and Draco and the rest of the board members pulled strings and called in favors to have her discovery quickly patented and invested a heavily-guarded Gringotts vault specifically for the papers in Gemini's research, in case there was a mole in their company. Her contribution to Potions became so popular that she was made a member of the Most Extraordinary Society of Potioneers, and Malfoy Apothecary's supply to St. Mungo's made so much good publicity that the board began rushing to open the division.

But something did kept Gemini guilty of her accomplishments. When people praised her for her discovery that would help thousands of witches and wizards all over the world, she couldn't help but recall how she wasn't thinking of that when she came up with it. She thought about how it had never been done before, and how much money the Potions Division was going to get if she worked fast. She wasn't making potions that were never on the market to cure people, but because there was no competition and she liked baking on that fact. The plaque was a plus, but she couldn't help but feel guilty when people made her out to be some sort of genius saint when all she did was discover something for the sake of her job.

Still, she liked her job and played along, creating medicinal potions for the sake of whatever she believed in.

The research on Anti-Cancer Potion was getting too complicated. Gemini saved the tabs and took a mental note to ask the Head of the Division if she could start experimenting on Pixies. _Arnold's right…_ Gemini thought. _I should take a break. The second plaque can wait._

Taking a quick glance at Arnold, his eyes focused on the old English of Shakespeare, Gemini clicked on the website she frequently liked going on. It was a Real Estate website where she liked looking at housing offers, and from time to time, she liked looking at new offers for decent-looking houses and calculating how long it would take for her to afford the houses she liked. She knew she and Arnold had roughly fifty thousand pounds, which was still not enough to buy a house in London, and she'd seen the houses for sale in nearby counties and she knew she didn't want to live in places like those. It was late-September, and Hannah was already frequently visiting Hogwarts to get ready for her job the following year. Though Arnold never let it show that he was worried that their time was running out, Gemini didn't want him to get tied down with running the Leaky Cauldron just to keep the flat for them to stay.

For the first time, however, she noticed a section of the website that she completely ignored: _To Rent_. She never thought about renting a house of her own. _I've got nothing to lose,_ she shrugged as she clicked it.

She was surprised by the results. She put her and Arnold's combined monthly income on the Max price and searched in Berkshire—which was between Wiltshire and London, a compromise between her and Arnold's workplaces—and was expecting dumps worth six months of their salary. But she saw tasteful houses with several bedroom located in good communities. She scrolled down and one advertised house caught her eye.

It was advertised as a fully furnished, rent-to-own five-bedroom detached house in a quiet cul-de-sac in Reading. She looked at the photos and began imagining owning this tastefully decorated house. Behind the house was a vast field that looked beautiful in one of the sunset photos. _Arnold and I would turn the study into an office. There're too many bedrooms, so I can possibly convert one into a potions room and another into a personal library for him. We'd have the master's bedroom, the second biggest one can be a guest bedroom, and I could turn the bedroom across ours into our child's bedroom. Still, it's a big house. I wonder how much…FUCK._

Gemini scrolled up to see the rent and was surprised to see the amount. It was two thousand five hundred pounds per month. She made a mental computation and knew that would be almost five hundred Galleons, which was not even half of what she and Arnold made with their new jobs. _I can actually afford to live here!_ Gemini thought, her eyes widening as she scanned the advertisement again to see if she wasn't overlooking a zero on the price. She knew there were hidden charges to renting a house, but with the money she and Arnold were making and how much they already had, they could actually live there for a long time, or until they found a house to buy or chose to buy that house. The house was really pretty that Gemini knew this was the house she wanted, so she scrolled down to see what she could do with the rent-to-own policy, and saw that she could buy the house if she rented the house for at least a year.

 _A year!_ Gemini was inhaled deeply, trying not to let her head spin. She'd most likely have enough by that time to afford the house.

"Gemini?" Arnold said, looking at her. "Is something wrong?"

She smiled back at him, beaming. "Have you ever considered renting a house?"

She explained how it would work for them and showed him pictures of what the house looked like. Finally, Arnold smiled. "Then I guess we've found a house." He said happily. "And now that we're pretty much getting a house this month now…"

He got off the bed and reached in his jacket hanging behind the door. He walked back to the bed, kneeling just where Gemini sat. "I've been waiting for this moment for a while now. It was my grandmother's." He slipped a simple silver ring on her finger. "Will you marry me, Gemini?"

She tilted her head. "I'm pretty sure you got that answer about a month ago." Gemini giggled, pulling him on his feet and on top of her bed as their lips met.

He groaned as he straddled her, pinning her hands in his. Gemini quickly pushed her laptop out of the bed and onto the coffee table. Arnold's foot kicked his book off the bed but he didn't mind it and continued to kiss her. "I love you, you know that, right?"

The ring on her finger felt weird, but it felt so right. "Of course. As do I." She smiled, feeling like, from that point on, nothing could ever go wrong.

She had no idea that her luck was going to run out in a few days' time.


	33. Quick Stop

Chapter 32

She woke up to hooting sounds and tapping on her glass. Gemini sat up groggily, rubbing her eyes slowly, and saw Mr. Malfoy's eagle owl flying by her window. In the past five weeks she had been working for him, she learned that his eagle owl was a smart bird who knew when to give her letters, so the fact that he was giving it at—she checked the clock—eight in the morning must mean that it was an important message.

Careful not to wake Abigail sleeping soundly beside her, Gemini quietly got out of bed and opened the window. The bird sat on the windowsill and handed her a small piece of parchment. She gave him a bit of owl pellets she had on hand before he hooted appreciatively and flew away. She opened the letter.

 _Gemini,_

 _Will be back from my New York conference tonight. Regretfully, that means Astoria and I can't attend your engagement party—sorry about that! However, the board just sent me word that your pixie potion thing for that Muggle disease has been greenlighted, congratulations!_

 _I know it's a Saturday in London, but we're running on a tight deadline so I'm afraid I need you to do a few things before I get back. Please remind your team to submit all proposals before the deadline, as after the deadline you'll have to start on making those difficult potions immediately._

 _Second, I *know* it's a Saturday, but could you drop your potion proposal at Malfoy Manor? You know the drill with greenlighted potions, and I'm quite busy so I've only got Sunday morning to read it. I won't be home to collect it until later in the evening, and I don't want you to miss out on your own party so just leave it in my office. Scorpius and the house elves are there, so you'll have no trouble finding it._

 _Again, so sorry about this. I promise things will get easier once the division launch passes. Thank you!_

 _Sincerely,_

 _Draco Malfoy_

"Who's that from?" She heard Abigail ask, groaning as she stretched on the bed.

"Mr. Malfoy." Gemini answered, jumping back on the bed. She landed on several issues of _Witch Weekly_ and other Muggle fashion and bridal magazines Abigail nicked from her office. "Needs me to run some errands today."

She scowled in reply. "Today? But what about your engagement party?"

"It's just a few things, Abby. It's not something that'll take a while. I'll be home before the party starts."

Abigail sat up and yawned. "Merlin's beard, I really can't believe it. Five months out of Hogwarts and you've done really well, Gem. Sweet job at Malfoy Apothecary, and now this—getting married! It's just like yesterday we were taking the Hogwarts Express home! We—"

There was a knock on the door. Gemini looked at Abigail, who nodded. "Come in."

A cart rolled in followed by Arnold. "Good morning, you two."

"Arnold." Abigail said politely.

"Mother's closed the pub for today and preparing for the party later, so I thought I'd bring you two breakfast here." He pushed the trolley next to their bed. He stood next to Gemini and kissed her. "Gemini, I was thinking, since mother'll will be really busy with preparing, we could go out later while she…"

"Actually, I've got to go to the office today," Gemini said apologetically. "Sorry."

"On a Saturday?"

"It's really important. I promise I'll be back before the party starts."

Gemini figured he had plans for them, because he looked disappointed, but sighed. "It's quite alright. We'll have plenty of time to go out once we move to Berkshire." He smiled. Abigail made a barfing gesture, which Gemini ignored. "By the way, mum says we should start packing our stuff now. The movers will be here anytime now."

"I will," she promised. "I'll see you later?"

"Later, darling. I love you." Arnold smiled. "See you there, too, Abigail."

"M'kayy," Abigail said tautly. Arnold waved at them before he went out the door.

"Abby…" Gemini said warningly.

"He's a nice guy, Gem, but he's a Gryffindor." Abigail defended herself. "Nearly all of them are attention-seeking prats. He seems alright enough, though. For the sake of our friendship, I'll try to be civil. _Try_."

"Try harder, then." Gemini snapped. "Come on, Abby, I'm marrying the guy. The maid of honor should at least get along with the groom."

Abigail huffed. "Fine. I will be _nice._ But it's going to take some time getting used to him. Really." She picked up one of the magazines scattered on the bed. "Now, as I was saying before I was rudely interrupted by you passing out last night: this dress, or…" she scoured the magazines until she found the right one, "this one?"

They talked about the wedding plans while they ate their breakfast. Coming from the Muggle Liaison Office, Abigail knew where the affordable and skilled dressmakers were, and as the maid of honor, she was already planning Gemini's bachelorette party and helping her out with wedding plans. Gemini had no other family who could help, and Hannah was too busy between working in the Leaky Cauldron and re-training in Hogwarts with Madam Pomfrey that she wasn't free to help as much as she'd like. Finally, they finished breakfast and were talking about Gemini's new job.

"So have you met Draco Malfoy yet?" Abigail asked.

"Met him? I talk to him on a weekly basis." Gemini laughed. "He was the one who approached me with the job, remember?"

"Oh right. Daddy was in Hogwarts when Draco Malfoy was, and he said that Malfoy's dad was so rich that he bought the entire team the best brooms money could buy. Of course, that was before the Firebolt 1.0 came out, but still…what's he like? What's MalfAp like?"

Gemini thought hard. "Well…to be honest, it feels kind of odd."

"Odd?" Abigail repeated, raising an eyebrow. "In what way?"

"You won't tell anyone, right?" Abigail shook her head. "Well…first of all, you know how Malfoy Apothecary is owned by the Malfoys? Thing is, I've never seen Astoria Malfoy in the office—"

"Well duh, she's the _wife_ of a Malfoy! No one ever says you have to work for the money you marry into."

"That's just it! I thought so too, but I was early for a meeting with the board one time and I saw a bunch of papers and saw that Astoria Malfoy was working just as much as Mr. Malfoy was. She was pretty visible in the apothecary and winery division, but get this: I checked the table assignments for the Potions Division launch party in two months. Mr. Malfoy was there, the entire board was there, Mr. Malfoy's son, Scorpius was there. But her name wasn't; why wasn't she going?"

Abigail shrugged. "It's a company party, Gem. Trust me. Daddy rarely attends those parties for the employees."

"Yeah, but the Potions Division is kind of a big deal for Mr. Malfoy and the entire company. Surely she'd have to attend! It just seems so unlikely that she'd blow off a company event as big as this for some shopping trip to Paris. If it weren't for the pictures in Mr. Malfoy's office, I would think she never existed. And she's technically my employer, if she's part of the company. It just seems off that I've never met her in the past month."

"She must be very busy then. You're probably looking too much into it." Abigail assured her. "I've been working at the Ministry for months now and I've never seen Minister Shacklebolt in the flesh. That doesn't mean he hates my presence or anything, does it?"

"No, I guess not." Gemini pursed her lips. "But there's also that thing with Mr. Malfoy. He makes me feel…weird."

Abigail looked intrigued and scooted closer to her. "Why?"

"For one thing, there's the way he looks at me. Sometimes he looks at me like any other person, but there are times when he looks at me like either I look like a ticking bomb or he's got something on his tongue he doesn't want to say."

"You did say thing were getting hectic." Abigail said nonchalantly. "I heard from Daisy at the Muggle-Worth Excuse Committee that employees can sue employers for thousands of Galleons for overworking them too much. Maybe he was getting worried that you were getting too overworked."

"Everyone in my team is just as overworked, yet I'm the only one that gets that funny look. And that's only the beginning. Mr. Malfoy gives me salary raises for nearly every reason he can find! I pass my daily quota of potions, I get a twenty Galleon raise. Perfect attendance for a week—five Galleons. Kept my office clean—five Galleons. Yet he doesn't show the same treatment to others. It just feels so inappropriate and wrong and it kind of feels like he's trying to…"

"Trying to what?"

"Have you ever read Fifty Shades of—oh right, nevermind. You think he's one of those pervy bosses who expect some sort of favor in return?"

"What?!" Abigail laughed. "Gem, that is taking things _way_ too far. I think the work's getting to you. That's not it! Isn't it obvious? No? He's a fucking Death Eater!"

Gemini scowled at her. "What does that have to do with anything? Besides, he defected."

"You're marrying a history guy, aren't you? His _mother_ defected—and probably because she knew the Dark Lord was going to lose. Draco and Lucius Malfoy said whatever the Ministry wanted to hear just to get out of Azkaban. It's so obvious that he's prejudiced!

"Don't think that he's not!" Abigail chortled when she saw Gemini's expression. "I'll bet that you're one of the few Slytherins in the Potions Division, aren't you?"

Gemini hadn't really paid much attention to it. Now that she did, she could recall that she had one Beauxbatons guy and mostly Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff wizards. Now that she _was_ really paying attention to it, she only knew a handful of Slytherins in the division. Her instinct was telling her that that wasn't totally it, but it was very logical, especially considering that Draco was most likely one of those pure-bloods who pretended to be against Lord Voldemort to escape arrest. _But still…_ Gemini thought. _Something doesn't seem right…_

"I guess. You think I should say something about it?"

"Not if you don't want the perks to keep raining." Abigail looked at the clock. "I think it's time for me to get going, Gem. Don't want to look like a haggard banshee for your party later."

"Right," Gemini said. The two of them stood up. "And I've got to start with work if I can be here on time."

"I'll see you later, Gem." Abigail hugged and pecked her goodbye. "Can't wait! Bye!"

Gemini waved as Abigail disapparated. _Time to get to work,_ she thought tiredly as she looked around the empty room.

~0~

It was already sunset by the time Gemini got to Malfoy Manor. She assumed the job would take less than an hour to do, sending owls to her team and then doing a final review on her report before handing it in, but she did not expect that most of her team would be at work on a Saturday to catch up on work before her party, and she had to help them during the time she was there, which had taken more than an hour. But she was finally done with her report, and now all she had to do was leave it in Mr. Malfoy's office, apparate back to the Leaky Cauldron, and have just about an hour to get ready for the party.

Gemini didn't bother with the courtesy of apparating by the gate and instead landed right by the front door. She rang the doorbell and tapped her foot impatiently, waiting for someone to open it. A young boy with Mr. Malfoy's light blond hair opened it. "Good afternoon, Ms. Ridley. My father told me you'd be dropping by."

"Hi, Scorpius. Is your father home yet?"

"He told me he and mother weren't arriving until evening."

"I see. Here's the file he wanted. Could you just leave it in his office?"

Scorpius frowned. "I'm afraid I can't, Ms. Ridley. Father says I'm not allowed in his office." He looked at the thick stack of papers. How a young, skinny lady like Ms. Ridley could hold it like it was but a roll of parchment, he didn't know. But the way his daddy told him about the file he was expecting told Scorpius that it was an important file, and he didn't want to risk getting implicated on anything if anything were to happen to that file. "But I can show you to the office. You can just leave it there."

Gemini inhaled. She didn't have the time to walk in the large manor and leave the file this little boy could do. She had a party to get to. "Fine, but I'm running a bit late." Gemini said quickly. "Could we go there quickly?"

Scorpius nodded and let her in, his ten year old legs walking briskly down the hall.

"Not in Hogwarts yet?" Gemini asked, breaking the awkward silence.

"Not until next year." Scorpius said, pouting. "Grandmother and grandfather always said I was going to be in Slytherin—my parents were in Slytherin too, you know—but daddy and mummy says it's fine if I end up in a different house. I'd like to be in Slytherin, though. Which House were you in?"

"I was a Slytherin too." Gemini said, holding back her impatience.

Scorpius walked a little straighter. "Ahh. Oona and Oliver Goyle's parents say that they'd better be in Slytherin. They're my friends, so I hope I get sorted there, too."

He led her back to the drawing room where Mr. Malfoy interviewed her, and then down a narrow corridor. That was when she heard it: the knocking sounds she heard when she first went here. She recalled Mr. Malfoy pinning the sound on Scorpius upstairs, but this time, Scorpius was right in front of her.

Gemini listened intently, trying to see if it had the same pattern as it did before. It did. She knew she shouldn't care about what was making the sound, but even after leaving the file of Mr. Malfoy's desk, her curiosity got the better of her. "What's that sound?" She asked him after they left the office.

"I don't know." Scorpius shrugged. He closed the office door behind them and looked at the only other door in the hall. "I think it's here. Daddy keeps his important office stuff here. He never said anything about not going in here, so…"

"Scorpius, no!" Gemini called him but he rushed inside. She wasn't _that_ curious that she'd risk messing up any of Mr. Malfoy's papers. But as Scorpius opened the door, the knocking sound became less muffled and louder. From the threshold, Gemini could see the room was a smaller room with several file cabinets and bookshelves around the walls. There were stacks of organized papers on top of some furniture, and the only place that seemed remotely messy was the coffee table in one corner with papers and other trinkets. Scorpius circled the room, unlucky in finding the source.

"Have you ever heard that sound here before?" Gemini asked as she stepped inside. Scorpius shook his head.

It seemed a lot faster now, and Gemini closed her eyes and tried to concentrate on the sound, trying to find out where it was coming from. She realized it was coming from her right side, at the messy corner. Apart from the windows that were covered in blinds, there was no other light source in the room. As Gemini stepped closer to the corner, she realized that the table wasn't a table, but an ornate-looking safe. And for every thump she heard, Gemini could see the safe shake the slightest bit.

"What's that?" Gemini pointed to the safe.

"That's…I think that's grandmother's." Scorpius said after a pause.

"Your grandmothers'? In here?"

"Uh huh." Scorpius nodded. "This used to be her craft room but she moved upstairs so Daddy could make this his storage place. Guess she forgot about this one. Mummy said that Gran's sickness made her forget, which was why she didn't know who I was before she passed away a few months back."

 _But why is it moving?_ Gemini thought. _What's in it?_

On a hunch, she stepped closer to it. The knocking became slightly faster. She stepped back, and the sound became less frantic. Scorpius took note of what she was doing and stepped forward, but the sound remained the same.

"The hell…" Gemini muttered before walking forward until she was standing right in front of it. The knocking sounded like that of a prisoner trying to escape. She kneeled to get a closer look at it. The safe required a key. On instinct, Gemini hovered her hand over the keyhole, moving it until she was just at the place at the bottom where the sound was loudest.

Gemini thought the safe exploded and immediately jumped back and flung herself in front of Scorpius. _Fuck!_ She thought as the metal flew everywhere, knocking over several stacks of papers and past one of the windows. She could do a repairing spell on all of them, but if whatever what was inside the safe got out on its own, she wasn't an expert in Charms to get it back in the safe if it was trying to get out—especially if it was Dark magic.

"Scorpius, are you okay?" Gemini turned to look at him as the papers settled. He nodded, his eyes widening as he pointed behind her. She turned back to see that amidst the papers on the floor was a visibly old piece of parchment that hung loosely from the seal. She looked at the safe and saw that it was still intact, save for the small hole on the side. _Strange…_

"What is that?" Scorpius asked. He stepped that made towards the parchment and made to grab at it. As soon as he grabbed it, however, Scorpius let out a bloodcurdling scream Gemini's skin crawl.

He dropped the parchment paper as he fell to the floor, writhing and shrieking and clutching at his hand. Gemini ran to him, careful not to step on the parchment, and drew out her wand and sent the parchment flying across the room far away from them.

She turned to Scorpius and recalled several healing charms that could work if the parchment hurt him, if only she could see what was wrong with his hand. She grabbed his hand and tried yelling over him that she can help, he wouldn't stop screaming and crying and yanked her hand away from his clenched fist. Gemini felt a stickiness in her hand and saw smudges of Scorpius' blood on her palm. She was forced to put a partial freezing charm on his hand, and as she pulled it open, she nearly retched at the sight.

His palm was burnt badly, nearly all of the skin on it burnt black. The skin on his fingers were horrifyingly red. The muscles were cauterized and lacerated, and a thick yellow ooze was coming out. Gemini winced when she saw a bit of white deep in the muscle, which she hoped wasn't his bone. But what scared Gemini even more was not the burn on his palm itself, but the fact that it was burned in a way that it clearly spelt out one word: _TRAITOR._

Gemini yelped as Scorpius yanked his frozen arm away. He continued to scream, tears coming out of his eyes. He bit at his lip in pain so hard that he began drawing blood. He stood up and before Gemini could catch him, he was running out the door.

"TINKY!" Scorpius screamed, possibly at a House Elf. "TINKY, WHERE ARE YOU?!"

 _Shit! How am I going to explain that to Mr. Malfoy?!_ Gemini thought panicky. She noticed movement on her peripheral vision, and when she turned she saw the parchment paper floating in the air, forming into what looked like a Howler.

"You betrayed me, Cissy…" A crazed female voice echoed the room. It sounded angry, but Gemini could hear victory and satisfaction underneath. "Both my sisters—BLOOD TRAITORS! It would seem mother and father taught me well but couldn't do the same for my younger sisters.

"I knew you'd have to do something treacherous if you survived while the Dark Lord and I have perished. So treacherous that I discerned the possibility that even my daughter was not safe in your hands. YOU BLOOD TRAITOR SCUM! YOU TRAITOROUS LITTLE BITCH! And I was right, wasn't I?! Tried getting rid of her so you can keep your hands clean! I've enchanted this letter to do this when my daughter's presence returns after a long period of time. You thought you could make her ignorant of her heritage? Tried burying the past so she could never finish what her father started? Well, obviously, your attempts have failed, little sister, as this letter senses her presence nearby.

"There was a prophecy about her, created by the most powerful Dark Witch of all time. No matter what you've done, Cissy, she will know who she is and what she can do and she will continue what you tried to stop. There was no stopping her. It was just a matter of time. She will take back what is hers and she will bring back the Dark Lord!"

The letter spoke so fast and varied between fast yammering and screams so loud and unintelligible that Gemini could only make out a few sentences. Whatever this thing was had something to do with the Dark Lord, and something Narcissa Malfoy did. It gave an evil laugh, one that made Gemini feel cold; not because of the sound itself, but the fact that it sounded so familiar. "And make no mistake, she will repay those who have had a hand at our demise."

The Howler stopped and turned to her. "Gemini, find him. Find him and our legacy will continue." The voice sounded softer—or rather, less rough—when it spoke to her. "Find him and all your efforts will be rewarded…"

Unlike a Howler, it didn't burst into flames. Instead, the parchment folded back into a sheet and darted into her hand. Gemini yelped and leaped back when it came in contact with her skin, but sighed in relief when she saw that the parchment didn't burn her. The parchment rolled itself up, and before Gemini's eyes turned itself to look like it was brand new letter waiting to be read.

She was confused as to why it burned Scorpius' hand, but she figured it was because he had Narcissa Malfoy's blood in her while she didn't, so the paper wouldn't harm her. Whatever it was, it obviously wanted her to read something. Gemini took the parchment's seal and opened the letter.

 _Cissy,_

 _Reading this means that you have survived while I have sacrificed my life to the Dark Lord…_

Gemini read the letter to the end.

She didn't notice it, but tears were streaming down her face.

It made no sense at all, but at the same time, it explained everything perfectly.


	34. Cousins

Chapter 33

Malfoy Manor was eerily dark, and Draco and Astoria Malfoy wondered why the House Elves haven't turned the lights on yet. In fact, they wondered why no one was at the hall to greet them.

The hallway was dark, and Draco's instincts told him to keep his wand ready in case anything was wrong. Though he told Astoria this may just be one of Scorpius' tricks, Draco lived in Malfoy Manor long enough to sense that something was really, dangerously wrong. He told his son they'd be home by evening. But he and Astoria had arrived hours earlier because his meeting with an American wizarding company had gone well that his new partner offered to let him use a private fireplace to head home.

The hallway was dark, nothing but the window's light of the dimming sun illuminating the way. They found a bit of light coming from the drawing room, and they slowly walked in to see the fireplace lit with green fire. Draco could just make out a figure sitting on the couch in front of it, and it reminded him of his mother that night after the Battle of Hogwarts. "Scorpius…" He said tentatively.

"Hello, _Draco._ " Gemini said menacingly and turned to him. Her eyes were unreadable, though Draco could see her bright red eyes shining. "Astoria. Good to finally see you."

Draco cleared his throat. "Have—have you submitted the files yet?" He said, trying not to show his fright. "Don't you have a party to go to? You know, it's very rude to linger in someone else's home uninvited—"

"Aww, why?" She asked, standing up. "I didn't think it would be illegal to visit my own _cousin_."

Astoria gasped at the last word, horrified. She gave Draco a terrified squeak, and he motioned her to stand behind him. He noticed the letter in her hand, and he knew there was no lying out of this. He stepped forward to grab at it. "Gemini, you shouldn't have…"

She pulled the letter back at his reach, laughing bitterly. "I wouldn't touch this if I were you. The smart thing would be to burn the letter if you were trying to keep a secret, mind you. I wouldn't touch it now though, not while I'm here. Your son learned that the hard way. Let's just say he got a bit scorched from this."

Astoria stifled a sob. "Told the House Elves to take him to St. Mungo's." Gemini assured her. "I regret that he had to get hurt for me to find out. It's not his fault his family immersed themselves in treachery.

"But that's good, because it should give us enough time to talk alone." She sneered. "So, this letter basically told me everything I need to know…"

"Gemini, please let me explain," Draco started, slowly moving towards her. "It was…it was a complicated decision…"

"Shut. Up. _Expeliarmus!_ " Gemini waved her wand. Draco and Astoria's wands flew out of their pockets and landed on her side of the drawing room. "That was just in case you try anything funny. Now, I want to hear it from you, Draco."

"I—"

"Tell me the truth." Gemini said gravelly. "Tell me whether or not what I read on that letter is true."

"Gemini…"

She grabbed him by his collar and pulled him close to her. "Tell me." She growled. "Tell me the truth."

He heard her voice crack and tears well in her eyes. For a moment, she didn't seem like the Dark Lord's Daughter, she was just Gemini, a young woman begging him to assure her that what she read and what it meant was not true. She wasn't commanding him with some sick, twisted, mind game, she was pleading him to assure her that her life was going to remain normal.

But he knew he couldn't do that. Not anymore. "It's true." He said quietly. "You're Gemini Black, daughter of the Dark Lord and Bellatrix Lestrange."

She looked defeated and let him go. "Gemini Black." She said bitterly, feeling strange at knowing this was her real name. _Haven't I heard that name before?_

She remembered the day she visited Azkaban, how Harry Potter joked that her name was Gemini Black. She wanted to laugh and cry at the irony of it all, how she had planned to use the Black family tree to find out which wizarding family belonged to. _Arnold was wrong: I am a Black,_ Gemini thought sardonically. _I'm the last Black on that tree. Gemini Morgana Black._

Now that she thought about it, she had been so close to her real family that day in Azkaban. Rodolphus Lestrange was her step-father—the lost child was right in front of him that whole time, and Gemini felt like he suspected that when he saw her. Her mother's photo was there as well, the crazy-looking lady who screamed from the wanted poster. She looked at the necklace around her neck, and wondered if she'd see photographs of the same necklace if she bothered to look at other pictures of Bellatrix Lestrange out of prison. She thought of all those times she was researching on the Second Wizarding War, wondering how many times she had missed it, how her family was staring her right in the face.

A cynical smile crept on her lips. "And your family tried to hide me."

Draco inhaled. "We found out about you a day after the war ended. Mother knew the Ministry would think you'd be a threat, so she decided it was best to keep you away from the truth. It was safer for all of us—especially you."

"Then why did you hire me, then?" Gemini asked. "Don't tell me it was coincidence that you hired your own lost cousin because that is a load of bull. Why keep me close if you needed me far away from the truth as possible?"

"I wanted to tell you. I wanted to look for you, all those years. You were family, and I wanted to keep you safe. Who do you think donated so much to Hogwarts so you wouldn't have to buy second-hand robes? I made sure whatever possible path you took, you wouldn't have to be alone. Mother forbade me from ever looking for you…"

"Until she died a few months ago?" Gemini asked. Draco nodded. "You tried looking for me after that, didn't you?"

"I did. It wasn't easy, but I went to your orphanage and Hogwarts to find you. I would have lost you until Slughorn made it clear you'd end up in the Ministry."

Gemini thought, deducing everything she knew. "You found me…and then you didn't tell me." She said quietly. "That day in the Ministry Atrium. You were going to tell me, weren't you?"

"I was." Draco nodded. He felt Astoria grip his arm but he stood bravely. "The plan was I'd tell you that you were Aunt Bellatrix and Uncle Rodolphus' kid. Gemini Lestrange. I'd tell you that we lost you after the war and I only found about you until recently. You'd be on the same level as I am, a child of Death Eaters, but believe me, there are plenty of us and we're slowly being accepted—glared at, but accepted. A child of the Dark Lord would have been a matter of national security. You would have still been my cousin, but your paternal parentage would have to be covered-up."

"So why didn't you?" Gemini asked impatiently.

"First, there was a risk. No one who knew the Lestranges would believe they had a child—especially a child born at the time you were. And second…" Draco bit his lip. "I realized that whichever father I name you with, the fact won't change that Bellatrix Lestrange is your mother. And you were dating—and now marrying—the grandson of the people she tortured to insanity. You really think your relationship would have gone the same way if his family found out? And what would it have done to you if you found out?"

Gemini gasped. Neville was very sensitive about his parents, as seen in the pictures of them in their flat. _He would never let me go near Arnold if he knew who I was. Of course. Draco's has a point…_

Draco continued. "When I saw you that day, I knew you were happy where you are. You didn't need a connection with me. You didn't need to know who your family was. I didn't need to drop that revelation on you because you didn't need to know. You looked so happy. You needed _that_ life, not one I could give." He stepped in front of her and placed a caring had on her shoulder.

"And you _are_ happy, aren't you? You have a good job and you're marrying someone you love. Why give that up? Things don't need to be different." Draco said persuasively. "Keep the secret, Gemini. Don't tell anyone about it, and life can go on the same. I'll blame Scorpius' burn on one of the Dark artefacts in this room. But if you can't keep the secret, I can erase it from your memory. It'll be like none of this ever happened and you'll continue your life as is."

 _A normal life,_ Gemini thought. She had reached the end of the road in the questions that had haunted her most of her life. Ever since she learned she was a witch, she figured her parents were teenage elopers who regretted their decision after the war. She imagined dead parents who fought for the war. She thought of every romanticized and tragic story she imagined to explain for her parents' abandonment, never once considering the fact that one, her parents were the forefront leaders opposing Harry Potter's side, and two, she was abandoned by the last remaining people she had as family. _A normal life is better than knowing this. I'm not a Black, I'm a Ridley about to become a Longbottom. I'm not related to my boss, not related to Death Eaters, I'm not…I'm not…_

"A normal…a normal life…" Gemini said. _I'm not related to the Weasleys._ "Yes. I think that…that would be good."

Astoria relaxed a bit. Draco moved aside to get his wand. Gemini stood there, thinking of the things she would gladly forget. _I'm not related to the Flints, the Greengrasses, the Longbottoms—well not until I get married—the Smiths, the…the…who's Bellatrix and Narcissa's sister? Andromeda Tonks. I'm not related to the Tonks family or…_

It hit her, and the thought of it choked her at how unnatural that was. "No." She whispered.

"What?" Draco asked.

 _It's so unnatural, so disgusting._ She thought, the realization sinking in. Draco was her only Black cousin, but biologically speaking, Nymphadora Tonks, the Auror who married the werewolf Remus Lupin, was her cousin too. A disowned cousin, but nonetheless still a biological sister. And that meant…that meant…

Gemini laughed quietly. "It's not incest if your cousin's disowned, right?" She looked at Draco's confused reaction.

The revelation of finding out the truth and all it meant made her head spin so hard that her knees buckled and she fell to the floor. "Gemini!" Draco exclaimed.

 _My name is Gemini Black. I'm a Black. Bellatrix Lestrange is my mother. Lord Voldemort is my father. My name is Gemini Black. I'm Draco Malfoy's cousin. I'm the daughter of the woman who made Arnold's grandparents insane. My name is Gemini Black. I've been sleeping with my cousin for over two years. I'm the last Black, one of the oldest and wealthiest wizarding families in Britain. I'm the last descendant of Slytherin. That prophecy-that was about me! Am…Am I going to bring Voldemort back? Will I follow my father's footsteps? I'm…I'm…_

 _My name is Gemini Black. I am a pureblood. I know that shouldn't matter anymore, but why does it?_

"Gemini, it won't matter whatever you did." Draco assured her, sadly watching her pitifully rocking back and forth on the floor. _Mother was right…_ He thought sadly. "You can forget about it in a while. You'll be Gemini Ridley, and I will make sure you remember none of this."

She nodded, her body shaky. _I just want my life back…but I also don't want to forget this._ She thought, too distracted to realize she was thinking it and not telling Draco. _But how am I supposed to stay under the same roof as a Longbottom knowing something like this?_

"You knew all this time?" Gemini asked weakly, looking up into his gray eyes. "And when I called you a month ago, you played on?"

Draco nodded. "I figured that if you were looking for a job, I would never forgive myself if I just left you. I still cared, Gemini. You were family. Believe me, everything I did—everything mother and father did that night we found you—it was all just to protect you."

Gemini tried to calm down, listening to Draco's calm voice. She inhaled, trying to clear her thoughts, trying to block out everything that made her upset.

 _My name is Gemini Black._

"I…I…" Gemini rushed up. "I have to go…"

"Gemini, wait—"

But Gemini passed Astoria, who quickly stepped aside, and ran. _Run where?_ Gemini wondered, but she didn't know nor care. She was suffocating, and she needed to get away. With the House Elves gone, the chandeliers were unlit and the hallway was dark and a stark contrast to the light hallway that reminded her of Hogwarts.

 _No._ Gemini stopped dead in her tracks. In a different light, the hall reminded her of a place in Hogwarts. In the night, in the dark, the hallway reminded her of a memory that was more specific than what she originally thought. _NO!_

Her head stung and she felt like she was apparating and got badly splinched. But she was still in the hallway and she wasn't bleeding, though the hallway looked much older.

 _Cissy…_ a raspy voice said behind her. Gemini turned around. A bloodied looking man was handing a white bundle to a blonde, frail-looking woman. Behind her were two blond men, one of which resembled a younger Draco. The woman took the bundle, revealing a little toddler in a black dress and a necklace that was all too familiar to Gemini…the same one that was right around her neck.

She winced as her head stung once more, and when she opened her eyes, the bloody man was dead on the ground. The toddler was in Narcissa Malfoy's arms. Draco was looking at her curiously, but the older man—whom she figured was Draco's father, Lucius—was cowering at her.

 _Where are we going to leave her?_ An older male voice said, though Gemini didn't see any of them open their mouths. The voice sounded like an echo, a distant echo from down the dark part of the hall.

 _Leave her?_ A younger voice said.

 _Well you don't expect that girl to remain in the house, do you? She's dangerous! Her family…the Dark Lord…she's a danger to us—us, the family who betrayed the father! Her parents…trouble…I don't intend for her…to wield a wand._

 _She's Voldemort's child!_ Draco's voice shouted. _She looks like Aunt Bellatrix…_

Gemini gasped. _This was all just to protect me? That doesn't sound like protection._

Her head stung, and when she looked back at them, the toddler was on the ground. She was the only one that was moving; the rest of the Malfoys were frozen standing, though their voices boomed across the hall.

 _We are not going to keep her._ It was a woman's voice, cold. _I won't risk anyone finding out that the Dark Lord's daughter resides in our house…refuse to put my family in harm's way, even for Bellatrix's daughter. What do you think will people say when it gets out that we, the family whose loyalty has shifted so many times, are harboring the daughter of the wizard who tried to kill so many people? They'll say we haven't truly defected and we can get sent to Azkaban for this girl._

 _This girl? I'm your niece._ Gemini thought, hurt.

 _What do we do now?_ Lucius Malfoy's voice said. Gemini saw they were all looking at her direction, though she looked down and saw that the toddler was at her feet, looking straight at her. The child looked like the young Gemini Ridley in old photos in the orphanage she grew up in, but the only thing different was that the toddler had blood-red eyes. Gemini remembered the times she caught herself looking at a mirror and could have sworn her eyes were red and not brown, and wondered how she had missed it so many times.

She remembered the mirror in the hall she once glanced at, and sure enough, it was right next to her. The seventeen year old Gemini stared back at her, her eyes red. _Of course. I remember now. My name is Gemini Black._

 _And I have been betrayed by my own family._

"Gemini?"

She turned around and saw the present Draco looking at her a few feet away, Astoria standing behind him. "Gemini, you have to—"

"You didn't do it to protect me." Gemini said coldly, unmasked hatred slowly burning into her face. She noticed Draco took a "You did it to protect yourself."

Her wand was in her pocket, but Gemini felt a burning sensation in her hands. It was comfortable, almost satisfying, as black smoke spewed out of her hands. The suppressed anger of questions she never thought would be answered ran through her head, and it seemed to latch itself onto the black shadow forming from the smoke.

"THIS IS ALL YOUR FAULT!" Gemini shrieked. "MY WHOLE LIFE WOULD HAVE BEEN SO MUCH EASIER IF YOU DID WHAT MOTHER INSTRUCTED! YOU ABANDONED ME IN A _MUGGLE_ ORPHANAGE…"

"We figured it was the only way you—"

" _I GREW UP THINKING MY PARENTS DIDN'T WANT ME!"_

"Better than knowing your parents were—"

On both her sides, the smoke was beginning to form. "YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND THE TORMENT I WENT THROUGH IN MY FIRST FEW YEARS IN HOGWARTS, THOSE OLDER SLYTHERINS WHO CALLED ME MUDBLOOD SCUM. YOU'LL NEVER UNDERSTAND HOW HARD IT WAS TO CONVINCE EVERYONE I WAS POSSIBLY A HALF-BLOOD!" She yelled. "But I'm a pure-blood, aren't I? I'm a Black and a Slytherin and I'm the descendant of the purest bloodlines. The lastBlack _and_ the last Slytherin."

She thought quietly. "I'm fucking loaded, aren't I? How many Galleons should I have now? A million? Two? Was that one reason why you sent me away, or was that just a bonus?"

Draco looked aghast. "I'd never…"

The smoke hissed at him. Gemini inhaled sharply and saw two black serpents flanking her, looking menacingly at the Malfoy couple. The hatred was burning inside her. She knew she told Arnold she was over the issue of her bloodline and who her parents were, but that was _before_ she found out her life was the way it was because her last living family wanted to protect themselves. She was furious, and as the rage burned deep inside her, the serpents seemed to recognize that and inched closer to them.

Gemini stood by triumphantly as the serpents made their way towards them. Some part about their screaming and cowering and Draco futilely trying to shield his wife was so satisfying that she couldn't help but smile. _They deserve this. Draco deserves to get hurt because he and his parents abandoned me, and Astoria because he lied about trying to protect me. I want them to hurt. I want them to suffer. They had a happy life and I only had one until recently. I want them to feel the pain of living with unanswered questions and settling with keeping them in the dark. I want…I want…_

She noticed the way Draco stubbornly tried to shield his wife, and remembered Arnold and the party she had to attend. _Why am I so angry?_ She thought warily. _What ever happened to letting go of all that? I can't change what Draco and his parents did, but I made a better life for myself, haven't I? I don't want anyone to get hurt._

As soon as she thought it, the serpents disintegrated and disappeared with a puff. Draco and Astoria were petrified, but Draco noticed the shocked and remorseful look on Gemini's face and cautiously stepped towards her, but Gemini stepped backwards. "Stay away from me, Draco." Gemini said weakly. "I'm not safe. Just—stay away."

She turned and walked towards the exit. She closed her eyes, meaning to disapparate. _Where do I go? Home. Go home. I want to go home. I want to go—_

She apparated. _Home._

But Gemini wasn't in the Leaky Cauldron. She had no idea where she was. She didn't recognize the mansion gates she was standing in front of, nor did she recognize the little village down the hill. The mansion looked like it had seen better days, and the lawn was in disarray with overgrown greenery, broken glass from the windows that weren't boarded up, and dilapidated roof tiles.

 _Where am I?_ Gemini thought. She knew she was still somewhere in Europe because the night didn't seem to be different. There was a plaque on one side of the gate that said "Riddle Manor", but Gemini had no idea why she was there. She closed her eyes. _I just want to go home._ Home _home. I can't deal with this alone. I need Arnold with me on this._

Gemini apparated and heard noise around her. She was back in the familiar ground floor of the Leaky Cauldron, the rest of the guests welcoming her loudly. _Fuck, am I that late?_

~0~

Meanwhile, in the underground depths of Whitehall, Harry Potter called the other Aurors for an emergency meeting.

"Could it be?"

"That's impossible!"

"No!"

But Harry couldn't hear the other Auror's reactions to the map spread out in his office. He was screaming on the inside, so loud that it drowned out all the sounds around him.

Kingsley Shacklebolt stood beside him, his face agape at the green dot. The Dark magic was so enhanced that not only was the dot a dark shade of green, it was radiating green too big for the map to keep in scale. "One Dark wizard right there." He said what everyone else was too afraid to say.

"No one could've done that Dark magic without a Dark artefact." Hermione said, checking to make sure there were no flaws to the map. She added the red artefacts. "I haven't made the map find Dark artefacts outside London yet, but I've tweaked it a little so significantly Dark artefacts in Wiltshire could be seen. There's none. The only way a wizard would be this Dark without any artefact was if they've been performing Dark Arts for a long time or if they have a history of it, and the only person who I know could possibly be detected that much is…is…"

Harry finished for her. "Voldemort." He said tightly. "Or a Death Eater, at most."

"A very good Death Eater." Kingsley agreed. "One who'd escape detection until now. Question is: why?"

"Malfoy." Ron spat. "I'm sure this has his name written all over it."

"Ron," Hermione said gently, "we've already looked into Malfoy and we've found no—look!"

The green dot moved away from Whitehall and moved up north, near the Scotland border. The Aurors, Minister Shacklebolt, and Ron watched as the dot stayed there for a minute before disappearing and appearing at London. Harry hastily waved his wand so the map focused on London, and they watched as the dot appeared next to the Leaky Cauldron in Diagon Alley.

"The Leaky Cauldron…" Hermione noted, and then she gasped. "That's where Gemini and Neville's son are having a party!"

"Right! And didn't you mention Gem works for Malfoy now?" Ron said frantically. "That's him! He's in the party! We have to catch him!"

"I'll send the Hit Wizards there immediately." Minister Shacklebolt said. "Potter, Weasley, you head to the Leaky Cauldron and immobilize Malfoy, at the double. Make sure no one gets hurt before they arrive. Unforgivables authorized if necessary."


	35. Celebratory Times

Chapter 34

"Gemini, what kept you?! Mother was this close to calling Witch Watchers to hunt you down!" Arnold shouted, trying to be heard amidst the loud chattering and music in the Leaky Cauldron. His smile disappeared when he saw the look on Gemini's face. "There's something wrong. What happened?"

"I need…need to talk to you." Gemini said weakly. She was so glad that Arnold could understand her without raising her voice. He pulled her aside until they were in the more secluded part of the room, under the stairs to the inn.

"What's going on, Gem?" Arnold asked, worried. "You look like you've seen a Dementor."

Gemini faltered. "I…I…you'd still love me even if I were different, right?"

"What? Of course I would!"

"Even if I told you I'm the last person you or your own family would trust?"

"Yes, I…Gemini…what's going on? You're starting to scare me." Arnold said before kissing her reassuringly. "I'd love you no matter what you'd tell me. Now, what's going on?'

 _He'd understand, won't he? I had nothing to do with his grandparents' torture. I'm not my mother. I am not going to harm him. It's only a matter of time before Draco tries to get me and erase my memory._ She took a deep breath. "It's a long story. It started when I went to Malfoy Manor and found out that I—"

Gemini abruptly stopped as she saw a staff member carrying a tray towards them. "Cheddar sticks?"

Arnold shook his head politely. "No thank you." He waited for him to leave before he motioned Gemini to continue.

"I—" Gemini started, but Arnold watched her turn suspiciously as two of his co-workers passed them, laughing as they ran hand-in-hand to the other side of the room. He saw her hands shaking, her face like she was about to burst into tears, and he knew that whatever it was she was going to tell him made her too scared to risk letting anyone hear it. She looked at him. "Do you mind if I talk to you in my room?"

"Oka…um, actually, your room's locked." Arnold said.

"What?! Why is it locked?"

"Didn't I tell you the movers were coming today? They were pretty upset that your stuff wasn't packed yet so mum took the time to pack your things. She said it'd be easier if you slept over at the flat tonight, so your clothes for tonight and tomorrow are up there. Most of our stuff's already in Berkshire." Arnold explained. "Don't worry, I made sure they didn't leave any of your things behind."

"What about Orion?"

"Didn't you say he was getting too big and you were planning on sending him to a jungle last month?"

"I was meaning to do it, but I was busy. What did you do with him?"

"Gemini, Orion wasn't in your room this afternoon…I double-checked the moving truck myself. He must be somewhere in the inn right now. We'll find him in the morning though, but I suggest you think about moving him back to the Amazon soon, though. My great-uncle arrived an hour ago and he mentioned Amazonian Emeralds are dangerous pets to keep once they grow a bit bigger than Orion was when I last saw him."

 _Right,_ Gemini thought, taking mental note to deal with Orion if she could survive through the night. _Orion's an Amazonian Emerald? Wait, where have I heard that name before?_

And then she remembered what Professor Slughorn told her about those snakes: _…a rare snake, quite deadly when come in contact…hides from its prey…the Amazonian Emerald will run towards the animal and size up its opponents._

Gemini remembered how Orion was extremely shy, especially when it came to unfamiliar people who entered her room. She thought of the movers in her room, probably noisy from throwing things around her room, and then her thoughts turned to the noisy setting of the pub. Dread came creeping up her spine, all for a very different reason. "Did you see the movers go into my room?" She asked quietly.

"Mother did. I had my hands full with the preparations and I only went to check on the room when they started bringing stuff to the truck. Why?"

"Because Amazonian Emeralds attack in large crowds, and mine just happens to be hiding somewhere in this party." Gemini said gravely. She looked at Arnold's concerned face and decided the safety of the room was now a priority. _I'll tell him later. But I have to find Orion, and fast!_

"We have to find him before he does anything dangerous." Gemini said urgently.

Arnold nodded. "I'll check that side, you check by the door. Don't worry, we'll find him." He turned and ran off.

"Orion!" Gemini yelled, trying to be heard against the noise of the pub. She heard no reply but the loud chatter of the guests. She noticed Harry Potter and Ron Weasley enter from the Diagon Alley entrance. She wondered why Hermione wasn't here, especially considering they were on good terms when she left, but quickly forgot about them as she continued her search

She went around the room, looking at the ground, frantically searching for any sign of Orion's slithering green body. Gemini tried to remain calm, like she was looking for one of her friends amidst the crowd of others wishing her well. She recognized her friends, Arnold's Gryffindor friends, younger Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws who were friends with him or the Longbottoms. All of them were turning to her as she passed.

"Congrats, Ridley!"

"You and Arnold, huh? Surprising."

"Any kids along the way, Gemini? Can't imagine what house they'll be in."

She smiled and tried to appear calm, trying to seem perfectly normal as a bride-to-be and not the daughter of the Dark Lord they all feared and the owner of the snake who could potentially harm them all. _I'm Voldemort's daughter…my mother tried to kill Arnold's family…Orion's missing…My name is Gemini Black…I'm not a Ridley, I'm a Black…I'm…My…I'm…_

"Gemini!" Harry shouted. Gemini stopped walking and smiled at him. _Don't tell him anything._

"Hey, Harry! Ron!" Gemini greeted them. "Thanks so much for coming!"

"Hello, Gemini!" Harry said cheerfully. There was something odd about his voice, like it was perkier than normal. _Do they know? Or am I just being paranoid?_ "Great party!"

"Thank you!" Gemini said graciously. "Will Hermione be joining soon?"

"Err…probably." Ron said unsurely. "She's…she's caught up at work. Tricky business..."

"There's something going on." Harry said sharply, not wanting to keep up the pretense. "Something dangerous…and…dark."

Gemini's eyes widened. _Fuck…do they know?_ "Something dark, like…" she looked around them. They were a few feet far away from the nearest wizard. "Like the one we found in Borgin and Burkes?" _Like Voldemort's wand? My_ father's _wand?_

"I don't know," Harry said gravelly. "But we in the office think Malfoy has something to do with it."

Ron agreed. "You work for his company now, right? Did'ya invite him here tonight?"

He pulled out the map and Gemini realized what was going on. She knew enough to know that those shadow snakes she produced back in Malfoy Manor was Dark magic, something dark enough that she'd appear in the map. She wasn't caught yet since everyone thought it was Draco who had done something wrong. There was still a lingering resentment for what the Malfoys did to her, and she wasn't going to tell the truth for the sake of saving Malfoy's skin.

"Actually, I have." She said innocently, though not so much as Harry did. "He arrived a few minutes ago. He's around here somewhere."

"Right." Harry said, giving Ron a victorious look. He leaned closer and whispered in her ear. "The Hit Wizards will be coming soon. I don't want to ruin your party so if you'd let me and Ron do a quick search, we'll make sure we leave quietly with Malfoy before they arrive."

Gemini knew that was a lost cause. Malfoy was still in Wiltshire, possibly in St. Mungo's if they were looking for their son. When they wouldn't find him, they'd think he ran away. She was lucky Ron hadn't decided to look at the map. "Alright," She said worriedly. "Be careful. If he has the Dark Lord's wand, then he must be danger—"

"What the hell?!" She heard someone scream. Everyone looked at the source and saw a giant green snake standing tall, hissing at one of the party-goers, its mouth wide open.

Without missing a beat, Gemini darted forward. "ORION, STOP!" She screamed. "DON'T HARM ANYONE!"

 _They ssssscare me, Gemini. I want to hurt them…want to kill…want to eat…_ Orion said stubbornly, inching closer and closer to one of the nearby partygoers, frozen in his spot in fear. Orion bared his fangs.

"I said no! I'm sending you to the Amazon tomorrow—that's where you belong."

He quickly closed his mouth and looked at her, his snake-eyes looking almost pleadingly. _No…pleassse no…I belong with you and Arnold…in that housssse you've been talking about…_

"Then prove to me that you're not harmful to _anyone._ Wait upstairs." Gemini said, knowing very well that Orion would never make it to their house in Berkshire—if they ever got to Berkshire after Gemini told Arnold the truth about her. Harry and Ron were here, and after what Orion did, she'd never be entrusted to keep a wild snake like him. Still, it was easier to control Arnold that way, instead of telling him the truth. "Wait upstairs. Go."

Orion slithered away up the inn stairs, the guests quickly making a path for him. Gemini noticed the look on the partygoer that almost got eaten. "My pet." She explained. "He's not used to having a lot of humans here, sorry."

But it was evident that he wasn't listening to her. In fact, everyone was just staring at her. It wasn't the noisy party anymore. Even the noisy band at one corner at the room stopped playing and was staring at her, aghast.

"A Parselmouth…" She turned and saw Harry was looking at her, puzzled. "You're…you're a Parselmouth, Gemini…"

Beside him, Ron pulled out the map. Even from behind the map, she could see a dot so green that the ink seemed to drip past the parchment. _I'm a Parselmouth!_ Gemini realized, remembering how she only spoke to Orion when no one was around.

"I…" Gemini muttered, but there were no excuses she could think of, especially with a room full of witnesses. _Of course! I'm a descendant of Slytherin! That's how I've been able to talk to Orion! Why did I have to speak here? That was a stupid move._

There was a crash as several wizards clad in black stormed the pub and grabbed her. "What are you doing?!" Gemini cried.

Harry walked tentatively towards her, but a Hit Wizard blocked his path. "Gemini Ridley, you are under arrest for…for…" The Hit Wizard stopped unsurely and turned to Harry and Ron. "What are we arresting her for, exactly, sir?"

"She spoke Parseltongue, Harry. Only Dark Wizards can do that." Ron said firmly, showing him the map.

" _All_ Dark Wizards? What about me?"

"You were different. You can't anymore, can you?"

Gemini knew she had to act fast. "You're arresting me because I can talk to snakes?" She yelled incredulously, adding a hint of fear to her voice. "What did I _do_ wrong?"

Harry's face hardened. "Gemini, I'm sorry, but after what's happened.."

"No, tell me!" Gemini said strongly. "Why are you taking me?"

"She did nothing wrong! Let go of her!"

Everyone turned around, Gemini included. She had never heard Arnold speak this angrily. His wand was pointed warningly at Harry. The Hit Wizards made to block him, but Harry waved them away.

"Arnold, you don't understand…" Harry said persuasively. "We take Dark characteristics seriously. And Parselmouth…"

"She's being convicted for something she didn't know she could do? Something that's never harmed anyone?" Arnold retorted. He raised his wand higher. "I won't let you. I know my fiancé and she's evil that you can just take her away from her own party."

Several of Arnold's friends agreed, quickly standing next to him, their wands pointed at Harry, Ron, and the other Hit Wizards. At the corner of her eye, Gemini watched all her Slytherin friends discreetly make a beeline to the door. Abigail was the only one who turned and looked at her, giving her an apologetic look before sliding out the door. _Self-preservation over fraternity,_ Gemini thought. Slytherins weren't known for their loyalty, but they kept to their own. But when "their own" was becoming a threat to their self-interests, they were the first ones out the door. Gemini was far from surprised, but seeing her friends walk out the door without defending her hurt more than she thought it would. As far as she could see, with two Hit Wizards pinning her arms on both sides, there were no more Slytherins in the pub.

"You blokes don't understand! You weren't there in the war! We just have to make sure her speaking Parselmouth isn't a threat." Ron snapped.

Harry pulled out his wand. "I'm authorized to use any spell necessary to neutralize threats. Stand down now." He said firmly. "I'm not playing here, Arnold. Neville, please, your son…"

The tension in the room was palpable. Gemini's instinct was to be a Slytherin and worm her way out of this. They could charge her with Parseltongue, but there wasn't much they could do if they didn't know what she and the Malfoys knew, and she knew that Draco Malfoy would keep the secret if it meant avoiding anything that would damage his reputation. To them, she was just an orphan: she could be just some distant descendant of a less popular Dark Wizard who could speak Parselmouth. She could play dumb. And there was also that necklace in Borgin and Burkes. If she could make Harry believe that that necklace opened a Dark side that could make her talk to snakes, she could get away with it. Finding a way to pin everything on Draco would be plus as well, and her mind was working double-time to find the best excuse.

But she looked at Arnold and his friends, ready to defend her without a second thought. Her generation never knew her father, and they were more trusting and more willing to accept her Parseltongue. Her Slytherin instincts were telling her to let her play it on, to capitalize on their ignorance and get away the innocent soon-to-be married girl whose engagement party was ruined by incompetent Ministry members, but a part of her—a small part so small yet so loud—was telling her to do the right thing: confess everything she knew and avoid letting Arnold get hurt for something she knew she did. She knew she was going to hurt people, no matter what she did, but if she was going to, Gemini wanted to make sure she would try to avoid hurting the ones she loved as much as possible.

 _It was the right thing to do, and hopefully they'd understand that this was not something I can control. I don't want anyone to get hurt._ She looked at Arnold, who was giving her a reassuring look that he would stand by her. _I'm so sorry, Arnold. I didn't want you to know this way._

"I'm not letting you take my fiancé in for Parselmouth." Arnold said firmly.

"Arnold…" Gemini said loud enough for Harry and Ron to hear. "There's another reason why they _can_ do this…"

She turned to Harry and Ron. "Are you here because of the green dot you saw in Malfoy Manor?" Harry said yes, both of them evidently surprised. "Until a few hours ago, I was just Draco's employee. But after today, after visiting him in Wiltshire today…apparently, I'm his cousin. And no, I'm not Nymphadora Tonk's sister."

She showed Harry and Ron the letter, keeping the letter away from their hands. Harry read rather quickly, and Gemini noticed Ron's hands begin to tremble and a tear welling in the corner of Harry's eye.

"This is a…a highly serious claim, Gemini." Harry said, obviously shaken. "We'll have to do a thorough investigation on this, but you do realize what this means?"

"I know." Gemini said quietly. "It means I'm the Dark Lord's Daughter."

She didn't know what hurt the most: the screaming of everyone in the pub, the pain of the Hit Wizards hastily and roughly pulling her out of the Leaky Cauldron under Harry's orders, or the look of betrayal and fear on Arnold Longbottom's face.


	36. Interrogation at the Ministry - Part 1

**Chapter 35 was so long that I divided it into two separate chapters.**

Chapter 35

Unlike Draco Malfoy's limited resources in looking for his long-lost cousin, the Ministry of Magic had many Muggle and Wizarding resources—including a lengthy confession from Draco Malfoy in exchange for Aurors to protect his wife and son—and in a matter of hours confirmed the worst: Gemini Ridley was indeed Gemini Morgana Black, daughter of You-Know-Who and Bellatrix Lestrange.

News of the party spread like wildfire. Nearly the entire community believed Gemini Black was the Second Coming of You-Know-Who. Scared parents who were alive in the Second Wizarding War quickly pulled their children out of Hogwarts despite the assurance from the Ministry that they were safe, but with so many children leaving the school, Headmaster Flitwick was forced to close down the school and send everyone home.

While several members of the Ministry's high ranking members wanted to keep the wizarding community in the dark and assure them everything was fine, Minister Shacklebolt and Head Auror Harry Potter didn't want to mirror what the last Ministry did by placing mistrust and discord in the public and decided to confirm the truth. They knew, either way, the public would be scared, but it was best to be honest. They assured the wizarding community that Gemini Black was in their custody, and nearly all sources—except for Raymond Skeeter's miniscule column in the Daily Prophet—claimed that Gemini was cooperating well enough while in custody and has never tried escaping or attacking Aurors who guarded her.

Apprehension of Gemini Black was easy, since she chose not to struggle and complied even without the need for enchanted shackles, but when it came to detaining her, it was a different matter. Azkaban was the norm for prisoners' detention center before trial, but a group of Wizengamot members, headed by Hermione Granger, noted the Dementor residue in Azkaban that made visitors uncomfortable, and pointed out that Gemini Black did not deserve to be kept in a place like that simply because of who she was born to. Instead, she was kept in a holding cell under the courtrooms in the Ministry.

The cell was a small, circular room made with bluish-black stone and torches that never went out. There was a comfortable bed attached to the wall, a simple table with pens and papers, and a tiny door that led to a tinier bathroom. The entrance was barred with enchanted metal bars that couldn't be broken, and the sound of running water at the maintenance room nearby was driving Gemini insane as she waited.

Gemini had been detained for almost a day. She had not been allowed visitors, though Hermione had been visiting to give her updates on what was happening outside her cell. The Ministry was doing damage control on the panic caused after it was confirmed that someone like her existed. According to her, so many people found it hard to believe that Gemini was You-Know-Who's daughter after her contribution of society and people's comments about her saying she was a good person, and in the span of two days, she was vilified by everyone despite the Ministry saying otherwise. Her membership to the Most Extraordinary Society of Potioneers was revoked, and St. Mungo's had stopped using the Potions she created in Malfoy Apothecary. The Slytherins she once called friends were quick to destroy her image, claiming she was a narcissistic, arrogant, bullying witch who hurt others and, before she even found out about her parents, liked to insist that she was half-blood and forced everyone to believe it despite the evidence that she was likely Muggle-born. _As if they weren't the ones who made the idea in the first place,_ Gemini thought bitterly as Hermione reported on.

She could barely eat, too anxious about what was going to happen to her now that the truth was out. There was nothing she could do but wait, and having nothing to do while her life crumbled around her made her restless. She couldn't get any sleep the night before, as she kept dreaming about Arnold's face the night she was taken away, and it made her feel so guilty that she didn't want to sleep anymore. Despite being isolated for less than thirty-six hours, Gemini's hair was tangled from tossing and turning at night, making her look so haggard that she'd think she was arrested last month.

"Hermione…" Gemini cut her off gently as she reported what was happening. "Why are you doing this? I appreciate you coming here, but naturally of all people, shouldn't you be up there hating my mere existence as well? I'd expect you, Harry, and Ron to be demanding for my head by now. You were there when my father nearly killed Harry Potter."

"I was," Hermione agreed, "but you weren't. I'm Muggle-born; I know what it's like for people to judge you because of the parents you were born to. I know you, and you are not your parents. You can prove that—and you already have, to some. Harry and Ron were of course taken aback when they found out about your connection to Voldemort, but when they learned that even you had no idea about it, they agreed with me that you did nothing wrong."

"Then let me prove it." Gemini said fervently, leaping off her bed and clutching the bars in front of Hermione. "Let me prove that I'm not a bad person."

Hermione nodded. "I was getting to that. The Wizengamot want to hold a trial, and they'll be interrogating you, see if you are fit to live in public again. They recognize that you've done nothing wrong—Malfoy's not pressing charges against you; too afraid to want anything to do with you anymore—but the fact is, you've got Voldemort's blood in you, and that's a possible risk, especially now that you're aware of it."

"I don't intend on killing anyone, if that's what they're thinking." Gemini said tightly. "Make a trial, by all means. I have nothing to hide, now that Draco's said everything."

"Yes…well…have you ever heard of Veritaserum Alpha?" Hermione asked.

As a Potioneer, Gemini knew very well what Veritaserum Alpha was. It was a relatively new potion, a modified version of the original Veritaserum recipe, made by one of the older Potioneers Gemini had the honor of working with back in Malfoy Apothecary. Veritaserum was the strongest truth-telling potion in the world, but it had its flaws: if a wizard was skilled at Occlumency or had enough willpower to resist, they could get away with telling the truth. Gemini was good at neither—as proven when Zoey Rossier smuggled in some of the potion on their third year—and plain Veritaserum would have made her spill her deepest secrets, but if the Ministry planned to interrogate her with Veritaserum Alpha, that meant they were taking no chances of her lying. Veritaserum Alpha was mixed with something akin to Muggle soda spiked with Marijuana. It would make the drinker's mind spin in a way that they couldn't be focused enough to resist, their minds would be too filled to use Occlumency, and at the same time it wouldn't create hallucinations in their head that it would be their insanity talking. It would be a reliable confession from any person who drank it.

But what made Veritaserum Alpha ten times better than regular Veritaserum was that there were no loopholes. According to reports, people who drank it heard a second voice in their heads, and if they could worm their way out of telling the truth because of the way the question was posed at them, that voice would make sure it wasn't possible. It would ask the implied question the interviewer failed to ask but wanted to know, and if Gemini drank it and was interrogated, she would be open to every question they asked, no matter how out of line it would be. No stone would be left unturned once a person drank Veritaserum.

 _What have I got to lose?_ She wondered. _And when I get out, what happens? At this point, Arnold's not an option, I have nowhere to go to. My_ friends _abandoned me. I don't have a job anymore. I'll probably have to move to Albania or something. Yes, I could, actually. I have enough Galleons to start a new life somewhere. Not somewhere expensive, but still…_ She sighed. "If I have to take Veritaserum Alpha before they can believe me, then so be it. Prepare the trial."

Hermione grimaced. "It's already prepared."

~0~

The courtroom looked just like the scenes Gemini watched in the Pensieve archive. She looked around the room, at the Wizengamots dressed in plum robes, at the Aurors looking sadly at her, at the Stenographers, Secretaries with parchments around them, and Gemini couldn't help but wonder which of their memories would be used for this interrogation when she became a part of the archives. After drinking a shot of Veritaserum Alpha and having her hands safely bound to the chair at the bottom of the pit, Gemini felt her head begin to spin.

"The interrogation of Ms. Gemini Black has now begun." Minister Shacklebolt said. He turned to her. His face was not unkind, but stern. "Let's begin with the simple questions: Are you Gemini Black?"

A second voice seemed to penetrate her head: _Tell the truth. Say it. Say it._

 _Stop it. I will,_ Gemini thought irritably. The name still sounded odd: _Gemini Black._ From time to time, she would still catch herself calling herself Gemini Ridley. To be the last member of an old wizarding family just sounded so surreal. "Yes." She said, but she heard herself adding "I was born Gemini Black, and I only found out about it two days ago. Before that, I was known as Gemini Ridley. For a few months when I was four, I was Gemini Stark after the family that adopted me, but that was revoked after I was returned."

"And until two days ago, you had no knowledge whatsoever that you were related to Bellatrix Lestrange and Tom Riddle, commonly known as Lord Voldemort?"

"No."

Minister Shacklebolt nodded. A few seats away from him, Hermione spoke up. "Can you tell us about where you grew up?"

"I grew up in the St. Jerome Emiliani Orphanage in Kent." Gemini started. From the corner of her eye, she noticed two Wizengamots look at a piece of parchment and nodded. "I stayed there—meaning that was my permanent residence—before I turned seventeen and moved to Abigail Flint's penthouse in London."

"You were adopted at one point?" One of the Wizengamots in the upper seats asked.

"Several times, yes." Gemini said bitterly, the potion working to admit what she had always hated to say out loud.

"But you were returned." A voice said plummily. It didn't even sound like a question.

"Crudely put, yes." Gemini said tightly. _Why?_ The second voice in her head asked. "Bad things kept happening when I was around."

That made murmurs in the courtroom. Several Wizengamot members who were already looking at her with contempt at the beginning of the interrogation looked more hostile. Minister Shacklebolt quickly silenced them. "Continue, Ms. Black. What kind of bad things?"

Gemini didn't want to remember, but when she tried blocking those painful memories, her head started to throb in pain, like it hurt her to block memories. "The first family that took me in—the Stark family—owned a large home in Kent. It had a ranch and a barn and everything. Mr. Stark raised large breeding horses, and it scared me the first time I saw them. I hated hearing their noisy neighs at night. They disappeared, and Mr. Stark was quite upset about one of his favorite horses disappearing. There was a snake infestation—" the room muttered again, but this time, Minister Shacklebolt was too immersed to notice "—and it killed the other animals that I didn't like. There were…accidents in the house. Accidents that could never be explained. The Starks were superstitious, believed that I was cursed, and sent me back in less than two months, and took another orphan in my place.

"The second family was the Dawson family. They're basically that rich family that adopts for publicity but privately only adores their real son when the cameras weren't on. I refused to play their game: they acted differently around me in public, but I didn't. Their son, Andrew, I think—I don't remember his name very well, was a bully and he liked to hit me even if his parents were looking." Gemini said darkly, her mouth saying words she didn't want to say.

"We were playing by this hill, and by that point I knew I was different. I could fly, so I jumped off a very steep hill and landed safely at the bottom. I told him he could do the same. I knew he couldn't. I wanted him to get hurt. I was sent back a week later…"

"That will be enough, Ms. Black." Minister Shacklebolt said. "Now, next question…"


	37. Interrogation at the Ministry - Part 2

**Hi all! Last three chapters after this!**

Chapter 36

The interrogation lasted for two more hours. Gemini was subjected to questions about her life from the moment she was introduced to the magical world to Hogwarts to her career in the Ministry and Malfoy Apothecary. She was forced to admit several unbecoming qualities she had while in Hogwarts, many of which didn't help her look less of a safety hazard. She admitted that she insisted she was half-blood, that she had friends who had connections with Death Eaters allies, that she had remarkable powers at an early age, something her former professors could verify. Her one redeeming quality was her heroic effort in the Potions class, one which actually saved the children of several Wizengamot members. Hermione stressed that part for ten minutes, pointing out Gemini's good qualities.

After Hogwarts, however, Gemini had nothing to hide. They questioned her about her relationship with Arnold Longbottom, something a lot of people found positive, considering that he was the son of Neville Longbottom. She was relieved they didn't ask anything that would force her to talk about Teddy Lupin because she knew she'd be even more vilified than she already was if she admitted it. Her life after Hogwarts was clear, and the room seemed to lighten up as she talked about her relationship with Arnold.

"We were actually supposed to move to our rented house in Berkshire yesterday." Gemini said. When the questions were vague or too broad to be answered definitely, Gemini couldn't seem to stop talking until someone asked her to stop. "It's near Reading, and we planned it so that Arnold and I were compromising on the distance from our workplace. He and I—"

"That will do, Ms. Ridley." Minister Shacklebolt said. He turned to the other Wizengamots. "Well? What do you think?"

Like in the past two hours, Hermione Granger' hand shot up the fastest when she had something to say, and she practically jumped off her seat. "Hermione," Minister Shacklebolt said, "you were in charge of Ms. Black's internship, were you not? Perhaps you could give us a bit more insight into her character?"

Hermione looked surprised, but agreed. She cleared her throat before speaking. "When I first met Gemini Ridley—er, Black, rather—I honestly thought she was a stereotypical Slytherin girl. I'm pretty sure we all know the Hogwarts House stereotypes are—whether or not we admit to believing it is a different matter. When Professor Slughorn first suggested her to me, my first reaction was that this was a girl who knew how to play on Slughorn's love for giving his favorites the leg-up. Meeting her, I already had an image of who this girl would be: a pretty girl who was aware of her looks, stuck-up, arrogant, couldn't handle authority, and I was sure she'd mention her blood status within the first hour of our meeting. And when I met her, that was exactly what I saw. I wasn't sure if I was already making a list of stuff to expect from a girl like her or if our meeting was really that bad, but I think if it weren't for her sheer intelligence, I'd never had hired her.

"But then time passed, and I saw she was more than what I expected. She belonged in Slytherin, no doubt, and she has her flaws: she can be full of herself, she doesn't follow rules that don't suit her, she tends to take authority for granted, but I saw that there was more than that: she was smart, but she was also determined and hardworking and willing to help others. She was a better intern than I thought. Quite talented. She gave up the Auror training program when it was clashing with her relationship with Arnold Longbottom. All in all, I think Gemini Black is a nice person—someone who poses _no_ threat to the community."

"But the risks—"

"There are no risks." Hermione said firmly. "The only risks I see is how unethical the Ministry will be if we arrest her because _her parents_ were Dark Wizards yet she herself even contributed to society in Potions. Think about it: a seventeen year old girl being isolated and sent to Azkaban because she couldn't control who her parents are? That sounds familiar to me. What about all the Muggles-borns present here who were alive and witnessed the Ministry sixteen years ago? Remember the Muggle-born Registration Commission? Do we plan on doing the same treatment to her?"

Many of the Wizengamots nodded in favor of Hermione. Some looked utterly moved, looking down in guilt at the prejudice they showed Gemini. Hermione smiled. "I believe we should let Gemini go. She has done nothing wrong, and had she been born to different parents there wouldn't be a trial in the first place."

One elder Wizengamot stood up. He had thin, round bifocals on his face, receding gray hair, and a perpetual scowl on his face. Gemini knew immediately that she wouldn't like what he had to say. "What about that Dark Magic business in Malfoy Manor?"

Harry stood up from where he sat. "If you found out your whole life was a lie because Malfoy lied to protect himself, you'd be upset too, wouldn't you?" He said. "Gemini was upset. She was taken by surprise. Naturally, she inherited Voldemort's powers, but Malfoy said—"

"No _buts,_ Mr. Potter. Exactly." The Wizengamot said triumphantly. "The fact that she possesses Voldemort's powers puts a risk in our community. It does not matter what her credentials are, what she's done, or if she's been living in a rock for the past year. The matter of fact is that she _has_ those powers, she has You-Know-Who's blood in her veins, and—as Ms. Black said earlier—she is a gifted witch and could be more powerful than she knows. That immediately constitutes a threat."

"And this is the first case Ms. Black has performed Dark Magic," Another Wizengamot noted. "And it was performed during a moment of anger and _after_ she learned the truth. Who knows what more she is capable of now that she is aware of her parental heritage?"

"I'm not going to hurt anyone!" Gemini shouted. Everyone turned to her. "I'm not mad at anyone. Maybe the Daily Prophet for having a hand at vilifying me to the entire wizarding community. I'm still upset at Draco for hiding the truth all this time. But do I want anyone dead? Do I plan on using Dark Magic in the near future? I don't. Please…you have to believe me."

"I feel like I can believe you, Ms. Black." Minister Shacklebolt said, nodding to Hermione. "Personally, based on what's been said here, you've got good character, good enough that you don't really pose a threat to the Wizarding community. The only threat that exists here is the fact that you have Voldemort and Bellatrix Lestrange's blood. That's a lot of Dark Magic running in your veins. You and Mr. Malfoy's stories corroborate that the Negapatronus you performed was clearly an accident. For those among us here who understand Muggles, letting Ms. Black leave custody is like handing Hitler's daughter the remote to a missile in hopes that she won't pull the trigger. Naturally, if we set you free, we have to be assured that you do not repeat anything like that."

"I won't." Gemini promised. "I don't plan on using it. I'll learn how to control it if I can."

"Would you be willing to perform an Unbreakable Vow?" The scowling Wizengamot asked.

"I would."

"You understand that by making an Unbreakable Vow that you won't perform Dark Magic?" Minister Shacklebolt asked. "And the moment you do perform any sort of Dark Magic, it's instant death?"

"I know." Gemini said. "If that's what it takes you to believe me, then I consent to doing an Unbreakable Vow."

The room went silent. The old Wizengamot member frowned, looked at his seatmate, and shook his head. Gemini ignored him and focused on Hermione, who gave her a tiny smile and a discreet thumbs up. She coughed her throat and caught everyone's attention.

"See? As I have been trying to tell the Wizengamot for days: Gemini Black is not an evil woman. Her father and her mother spoke for themselves; Gemini's actions speak for her own. She is not who she was born to. She does not have any intention to be the "Second Coming". She has no horcruxes around Great Britain. And she certainly does not believe in her parents' cause."

Majority of the Wizengamot and the other onlookers nodded in approval. Harry gave Gemini a polite nod, showing that he accepted her for who she is. Minister Shacklebolt fumbled in his robes for his wand. But Gemini noticed none of that, and instead was distracted by the voice in her head. _Are you sure about that?_

 _What?_ Gemini thought, her mind struggling to stay clear. _She didn't even ask a question._

 _Are you sure about that? You're lying._

 _I'm not!_

 _Silence of the truth_ is _lying. Say it. Say it! SAY IT! SAY IT!_

"Very well, then." Minister Shacklebolt started. "In that case—"

"That's not true, Hermione." Gemini heard herself say. "I _do_ believe in the Death Eater's plans. Not all of it, but I think they had the right idea."

There was an uneasy tension in the room. "Gemini..." Hermione smiled uneasily. "What do you mean?"

 _Shut up! Shut up!_ Gemini kept telling herself, but she felt her mouth open and say: "You know, I hate it when you ask vague questions. I _mean_ , I do believe that Wizards and Witches should rule over Muggles. As someone who grew up in the Muggle world—and in a place where irresponsible Muggles abandon their children—there are so many Muggle issues that can be solved with Magic. Food's running out and Muggles can't make food out of nothing. Water is dirty. They use oil for most of their contraptions, oil which is made through thousands of years of decomposing—running out at an exponential pace. Yet, we can't solve it because we have to stay secret, so Muggles continue to destroy the world we live in. If we ruled, we'd end wars, stop scarcity, make everything easier for both Wizards and Muggles. We'd have to control Muggles, naturally, because they're shallow and mundane and can't work without destroying anything.

"My father's mistake was that he forced his ideals without getting majority of the wizarding community to support him. It was inhumane. It was cruel. It was all because he didn't think convincing others was important. Before we take over the Muggles, we have to be backed up by those who would oppose us. It'll be difficult, it'll take time, but as proven by Muggle history, forced movements never work. Unless of course, they have something so powerful that no one would ever think of opposing."

The elder Wizengamot member spoke up. "So you believe that Wizards should rule Muggles?"

 _Stop talking!_ She screamed at herself, but on the outside, Gemini shrugged. "It's all for the greater good, anyway."

A few hushed whispers and gasps echoed the room. The Wizengamot member continued. "What about Muggle-borns? What do you think of them?"

 _NO, NO!_ "Muggle-borns and half-bloods are part of the reason why the wizarding community is changing. And I recognize that not all these changes are good nor preserving the traditions held by the wizarding community. It's almost making us forget that we're wizards who can do anything and Muggles have inventions because they don't have Magic like us, yet here we are using Muggle inventions. I'm not saying they should be regulated, but, if there was a better name for it…"

"That will do, Ms. Black." The old man said quietly.

Gemini bit her lip, knowing she was in trouble. The man stood up. "See?! A threat!" He said loudly. "Say what you want about her, but deep inside, she has the same mindset as her father! She may be everything you say she is, Ms. Granger, but when it comes down to it, the issue remains: she may end up just like her father, and when that moment comes, we will all be in trouble. She could do an Unbreakable Vow, but what will come of it when she finds more powers—more powers than we can understand—and finds a way to break the vow? By then it will be too late!"

The room quickly burst into all the Wizengamots arguing, talking at the same time. Gemini tried blocking out the arguments, but clearing her head just made the Veritaserum Alpha make her head spin, and she had to grab at the arm rests just to think straight. She remembered Arnold warning her about believing like that, and as her head continued to spin and the noise around her grew, she couldn't help but realize that all her nightmares had finally come true.

She wasn't listening anymore, and it took one Auror to wave a hand near her face before she looked back up at Minister Shacklebolt.

"In light of recent events, I'm afraid the Wizengamot still cannot decide on whether or not to release you." He said apologetically. "And due to the…er, circumstances, as well as taking the risks and all into consideration, we will have to detain you in Azkaban until further notice."

"NO!" Gemini screamed. "You can't!"

"Rest assured, it is only until the Wizengamot will collect more information to determine your safety risk, and then we will see what measures we will take in order to assure that you're safe." Minister Shacklebolt continued, motioning to the Aurors to take her. "We will try to remove as much of the Dementor residue in Azkaban, which will take about two weeks. In the meantime, you'll be detained back downstairs. You'll be allowed visitors until your transport to Azkaban."

"Stop! Please!" Gemini screamed as two Aurors took her arms from the chair and pulled her up. "I've done nothing! You can't put me in Azkaban!"

"It's for safety purposes, Ms. Black. Hopefully you'll come to understand the risk you pose." Minister Shacklebolt said.

Gemini looked around pleadingly for anyone who would step in on her behalf. None came. Harry looked remorseful, yet did nothing to stop the Aurors who were half-dragging her out of the courtroom. The other Wizengamot members sat stony-faced, the ones who were on her side just moments ago now acting like she was her father, Lord Voldemort, himself. She twisted her body as much as she could until she could see Hermione, with a look on her face that Gemini could only describe as guilty. _Guilty of what?_ She heard a voice in her head say. This time, she had no idea which voice said it.

"Hermione!" Gemini called out in desperation. "You can't let them do this to me!"

"I'll see you have a fair trial, Gemini!" Hermione shouted her promise. "I'll make sure you're treated well."

 _Wait a minute. Why does Hermione look guilty?_ Gemini knew the answer to that quickly: If it wasn't for that last sentence in Hermione's closing speech, Gemini would have easily done the Unbreakable Vow and leave the Ministry. But Hermione just happened to say that last sentence, and now here she was, dragged and about to be sent to Azkaban in less than two weeks. Gemini tried clearing her head to think, ignoring the throbbing pain of the Veritaserum Alpha, which was beginning to wear off. And then she realized it.

"It was you." Gemini breathed. She turned to glare at Hermione. "You wanted this! You planned this all along to get me arrested!"

She shrieked as she used all her strength to yank her arms from the Aurors and ran towards Hermione's seat. She was quickly caught by the Aurors before she could even reach the stands, and her arms were quickly and painfully pinned behind her.

"IT WAS YOU!" Gemini screamed angrily at her. The rage was seething again, but she kept her fists clenched in case she did something she would surely regret. "YOU NEVER WANTED TO HELP ME, YOU JUST WANTED ME TO THINK I HAD A FUCKING CHANCE! YOU WANTED ME TO SAY THAT! YOU WANTED ME LOCKED UP! YOU KNEW I'D SAY THAT AND MADE SURE I'D BE LEFT OUT TO DRY!"

"I didn't!" Hermione said tearfully, standing up to speak louder. "I promise you, Gem, I didn't want this!"

"SHUT UP, YOU FILTHY LITTLE MUDBLOOD!" Gemini screamed. "YOU'VE DESTROYED ENOUGH OF MY LIFE AS IT IS!" A part of her wondered where the rage was coming from, how the profane term was so uncalled for. But it felt good to scream, it was a catharsis as the room stopped spinning, and if she was going to release all that anger, she'd do it on a filthy Mudblood like Hermione Granger.

Something stronger than adrenaline was coursing her veins. It made her alert like Veritaserum Alpha, but her head remained clear, and it was filled with profanities for everyone in the room. "YOU ARE AFRAID OF ME!" She yelled triumphantly as the two Aurors had to drag her towards the door. "I AM THE DESCENDANT OF SLYTHERIN AND BLACK, THE MOST POWERFUL PUREBLOOD ALIVE, AND MAKE NO MISTAKE, YOU ARE ALL JUST TOO SCARED THAT I WILL RISE ABOVE YOU ALL AND TAKE BACK WHAT IS MINE! YOU FILTHY MUDBLOODS AND HALF-BLOODS AND BLOOD TRAITORS HAVE RUINED THE SANCTITY OF THIS WORLD AND I WILL—"

She felt a freezing sensation and saw Harry Potter point his wand at her, muttering a freezing charm. The Aurors tilted her body and carried her out easier. Gemini couldn't move, but she could roll her eyes, looking furiously at everyone who watched her leave the room.

 _I'll kill them. I'll kill them all!_ She fumed, surprised at her own rage. She didn't care, though. She liked the rage boiling inside.

She knew there was no going back now. She had just proven everyone that she had a bad side, and now that she did, she knew that no matter what evidence Hermione would find—or choose to find, after that happened—she knew she was never going to be free again.

Yet, oddly enough, Gemini didn't seem to care. _I'm getting out of here, whether or not they let me._

They passed the dark hallway, and at one side, Gemini could see her reflection on the shiny walls. It was as if a deep instinct came over her, and suddenly, she knew what to do. As she was dragged along, she watched her blurry reflection as her eyes turned bright red. She kept looking at her red eyes until they dragged her downstairs, and even after they placed her back in her cell, for the first time, Gemini's eyes remained red. _No more hiding!_ She vowed, smiling. _I am Gemini Black—Voldemort's daughter. And I am done trying to be a good person._


	38. The Ones You Loathe Never Truly Leave Us

Chapter 37

 _Why am I not in the cell anymore?_ Gemini opened her eyes to the unfamiliar place that wasn't her cell at the bottom of the Ministry. She recognized this place, but only faintly: it was the run-down manor she apparated to the night she found out about her parents. Only there was no village below the hill. It was all dark except for the manor in front of her, its gate opened and the front porch lit by the dim light by the door.

 _This is all just a dream. A really bad dream._ She closed her eyes, hoping she would wake up, but instead she found herself in a hallway just as neglected as the manor. It was dark and cold, and the only source of light was now coming from a room on the side, which looked like a sitting room, where the fireplace was well-lit.

"Gemini," She heard a male voice call her casually. "You're late."

Hesitantly but bravely, Gemini walked to the sitting room threshold. The room was a stark contrast to the rest of the manor, and looked tidy, adorned with old but tasteful furniture. There were couches and chairs around the room, but in the middle of the room, across the fireplace, there were two chairs on either side of a glass table, and only one of the two chairs was unoccupied.

Though the light spread across the room, the person seemed to be the only thing shadowed by darkness. Gemini could see his black robes, his pale hands, and his dark red eyes, but apart from that, looking at him, you couldn't tell there was a light source just a few feet away.

"Don't just stand there." He said reproachfully. "You're already late as it is. Sit down."

Gemini took a deep breath before entering the sitting room and making her way to the chair in front of him. "Who are you?" She asked as she sat.

She could tell he was smiling patronizingly. "The best in your classes, one of the smartest witches of your age, and you don't know who I am?" He laughed. "But I'll bet you already know the answer to that."

The fire grew slightly, and Gemini could see him clearly, but at the same time, she couldn't. At first she saw a middle-aged man with pale skin, black hair, and facial features she could see in herself. And then the fire flickered, and she was looking at a decayed monster with red eyes and snake-like nostrils that couldn't possibly have been human. She stifled a gasp, and the monster turned back into the middle-aged man.

"You're my father." Gemini said. "Voldemort."

A smiled curled in Voldemort's lips. "Quite late, but naturally I shouldn't blame you, considering your mother's traitorous family. But then again, I alone found out who I was at fifteen. Tsk, tsk." He gazed observantly at her. "You've got your mother's hair and eyes, more of a Black than a Gaunt. But if you've met your grandmother's family, you'd be relieved at that. Still a Slytherin, nonetheless.

"You know…" Voldemort continued when Gemini said nothing. "That incident in the Ministry this morning…"

Gemini scowled. "I was just upset. I thought Hermione really wanted me locked up. I didn't mean to say those things!"

"No?" He asked coyly. "That's funny, because I did."

"What?" Gemini asked, confused as to what he meant. "Wait…if you're dead, how did you know about what happened in…"

"Horcruxes are not the only way of keeping my existence immortal." He said in a way that he himself found out that fact. He stood up and walked around the room. "I shall spare you the details—it was a lot of research on my part when I was in Hogwarts and looking for ways to be immortal—but I shall tell you this: the fact that my blood runs in your veins means that a part of me still lives, even if my body and soul does not. I never expected to have a child, you know, as I figured Horcruxes were much easier, but it was luck that you were born, which means I still exist inside you. That bumbling old man was right to fear your heritage. Your blood alone keeps me connected to this world."

"So you were there? In the Ministry?"

"I am stuck in limbo, but I can connect to your mind and see what you see, yes. But it was not without great difficulty." Voldemort stood next to her chair and ran a thin, spider-like finger on her shoulder. "It was difficult whilst you did not know I existed, but ever since you did, it's become less so, as your knowledge of who I am to you created a clear path for me to get to you. I can't connect to you for long periods of time, but just enough that I can get your attention. Like this dream."

Gemini was listening, but there was something about what Voldemort said that sounded suspicious. "You said _you_ meant what _I_ said in the Ministry…" Gemini said slowly. "Wait, so that means…"

"You had a suspicion of that Mudblood in your head." Voldemort shrugged. "I just made sure you voiced it out correctly."

Gemini gasped. _It all makes perfect sense now. The unexplained rage, the sudden desire to hurt and kill everyone in the courtroom, how I couldn't understand why I said that, even if part of me knew for certain I didn't mean it. The Veritaserum Alpha worked, but it wasn't the potion's voice she was hearing before she destroyed her own reputation._

It was a third voice, one who controlled her long enough to say all those hurtful things.

"You!" Gemini said violently. "It was you who said those things, didn't you?! You made me say that to the Wizengamot!"

Voldemort smiled. "They wanted a monster. They were expecting a monster. I just gave them one."

"YOU ASSHOLE!" Gemini screamed, getting out of her seat and backing away from his touch. "You're the reason why I'm going to Azkaban! You're the reason why I've just destroyed any chance I have of being free!"

He shrugged carelessly. "You said you didn't care. _You_ said you were done trying to be the good person."

"Did I say that or did you make me?" Gemini asked coldly.

"Does it matter, Gemini?" Voldemort grinned. "You or me, the Ministry doesn't really seem to care, do they?"

Gemini screamed as she punched Voldemort in the face. Her arm hurt, but she was too furious to notice. He fell to the ground with a heavy grunt, and Gemini kicked him in the gut with a swift kick. She tackled and straddled him, punching him wherever she could.

"My life…is ruined…BECAUSE. OF. YOU!" Gemini said in between punches. That feeling of adrenaline coursing through her veins was back, but this time, she knew the rage was really hers and not some trick of his. She was so angry that she started to cry. "I could have been free! I could have done that stupid Unbreakable Vow and be done with it!"

"You couldn't have survived the Unbreakable Vow not to perform the Dark Arts…" Voldemort coughed. "Not while I'm your father."

Gemini punched his one last time as painfully as she could administer. Her knuckles were bleeding, but she didn't care. She reached for his throat. "How about you just die for real this time? Maybe that will end all of this."

As though he hadn't been beaten by his own daughter, Voldemort looked up at her and laughed. "Do what you have to do." He said, spitting blood on the side. "But take note, Gemini…"

"What?" She asked suspiciously.

"What you did just there—you did all that, not me." He said proudly. "You _are_ my daughter, every little bit like me. Ambitious. Clever. Vengeful. Kill me, and prove what you really are."

Gemini tightened her grip, but then slowly released him and stood up. Her legs were shaking and she struggled to stay still. "I am _nothing_ like you." She spat with quiet fury. "I'm not a bad person. I'm your daughter, not your heiress."

She turned to leave the house, but there he was, no longer on the floor, but standing by the sitting room's threshold. "You're engaged to a Longbottom, you think I don't know that?" He laughed coldly. He approached Gemini, his presence colder than it was before, but Gemini tried not to show her budding fear. "Did you really think that life would have worked out for you without you finding out? Let me show you what your _Happily Ever After_ fantasy would have brought you…"

Without warning, Voldemort grabbed Gemini's hand. The room spun and Gemini began to see visions in her head that were too fast for her to recognize. "This the life you would have gotten!" Voldemort shouted.

It was a vision of her, only older and more weary-looking. Gemini recognized the room as the office room in the house she and Arnold rented, only it looked like time had begun to wear the house down.

"You think you would have remained happy with a Longbottom even if you remained ignorant about your past?" Voldemort's voice echoed, though lost in the vision, Gemini couldn't see where he was. "The novelty wears off, Gemini, and when you're done romanticizing everything and look realistically at it, do you think you two will be happy? The glorified librarian and the overworked potioneer?"

"Of course we would have!" Gemini said, but the older Gemini groaned and banged her head before slamming a book shut. Gemini stepped closer and saw that it was a Muggle book on medical diseases, but her attention went to the bottles around her table, all of which look like they had been smashed deliberately. The sound of hooting came from the window and Gemini saw three owls landing at the same time, one of which being Draco Malfoy's owl. Older Gemini stood up and snatched the parchments from the owls, not bothering with a thanks or feeding them. She sat back down on her desk and opened the first one, which turned out to be a Howler which immediately opened into a mouth.

" _Dear Mrs. Longbottom, at 4:34 this morning, an explosion erupted from your laboratory and destroyed most of the room's content. Your belongings have been moved to safekeeping in your main office. After further investigation, Maintenance have diagnosed this explosion from a forgotten Stem Cell Potion Prototype #32 left brewing overnight. Fortunately, no one was hurt. However, we would like to discuss the damage done to the facility. Please drop by the Accounting Department for a meeting at—"_

Older Gemini crumpled the mouth before it could finish, too tired to notice the parchment catching fire in her fingers that she dropped it on her table, yanking her hand away. "Fuck my life…" She muttered under her breath. Gemini tried reading the other letters beside Older Gemini, but it was too blurry. However, the next two made Older Gemini visibly more irritated.

The vision changed, and this time it was a shouting match between Older Gemini and a younger girl who looked like Gemini but had blonde hair. "I HATE YOU!" The girl screeched. "WHY CAN'T I GO TO THE SCREAMING SISTERS' CONCERT?!"

"Because I said so, that's why!" Older Gemini said firmly. "And don't try asking your father just because I said no or I swear to Merlin I'm going to buy your dress robes next year at a second-hand shoppe."

The girl look aghast. "You wouldn't."

"Alice Longbottom, I am your mother and I will do whatever I can to teach you obedience. Even if it means making you look like a traffic cone in the Yule Ball this year!"

The teenager screamed before running up the stairs. "I HATE YOU! I HATE YOU! I HATE YOU!"

"Don't take that tone with me, young lady!" Older Gemini screamed back. Gemini cringed, thinking: _Crap, I'm going to be that kind of mother in the future?_

"Let her go, Gem." Older Arnold said from the couch. He looked older too, a shade fatter, and dark circles were around his eyes. "I don't even understand why you won't let her go…"

"She snuck out last week, Arnold, or are you trying to be her favorite parent that you choose to forget _again_ that our daughter's becoming too rebellious for her own good?"

"Of course I remember!" Older Arnold said, offended. "But I don't see why sneaking out and going to a concert on her friend's birthday is co-related…"

"That's just it! You never think!" Older Gemini said shrilly. "You do nothing but spoil our kids and that makes me look like the bad guy!"

Arnold grunted. "Maybe you are." He said quietly.

Gemini saw Older Gemini's face contort in anger as she grabbed a nearby figurine and threw it at Older Arnold's head. "Bastard." Gemini grunted.

The visions changed faster now, staying only long enough for Gemini to see what horrors awaited her in the future. She and Arnold were constantly fighting about every little thing, and soon it became a pattern of Gemini wishing she stayed in the Ministry and became an Auror. Gemini saw her broken family, her job that began to lose its excitement and had become menial and overworking, her boring life that was no different from a boring Muggle's.

"Is this the life you really want?" Voldemort's taunting echoed. "Seems boring, doesn't it? You know why? It's because girls like you weren't meant for this life. For some unexplainable reason, you think this is the life you want. _A normal life._ Wizards like us don't get normal lives. And it's utterly amusing how you've convinced yourself otherwise when in fact, throughout your life, it's been clear what kind of life you want."

The visions clouded and Gemini could see her younger self this time, and she recognized every moment Voldemort wanted her to see. It was the moments when she was adopted, and animals were disappearing, accidents were happening, and people Gemini didn't get along with got hurt. It was her first week in Hogwarts, and she was remarkably excelling, for an alleged Muggle-born who knew nothing about magic. It was her and those time she were with friends, and how she laughed and smiled at their taunting and bullying of others. It was her and all those Slug Club parties, and how Gemini could manipulate Professor Slughorn into getting her out of detention from other professors and how he would keep promising to introduce her to the Department of Magical Law Enforcement after Hogwarts.

Finally, it was after the graduation ceremony, and she and her other friends were at the Three Broomsticks. Their table, along with other Slytherin tables, cheered as they celebrated winning the House Cup on their graduation. She could see herself smiling smugly at the other Slytherins before raising her glass at a couple of glaring Gryffindors before flipping them off. The friends who saw what she did were in a fit of giggles.

"This is who you are, Gemini." Voldemort whispered. "A Slytherin. A _real_ Slytherin. Someone who knows the right people to mingle with—purebloods, all of them. Someone who basks in their glory, knowing it is theirs to bask. Someone who gets what she wants because she knows how to get it. Someone undaunted by peers whom she knows to be lesser than her—not even the wrong look at her goes unpunished. This is who you are."

Abigail stood up and raised her glass. "Here's to Gemini, the Queen of Slytherin! Happy Birthday to the Queen!"

"To the Queen!" The rest of the table and all the other Slytherins in the pub cheered for her, much to the scowls and eye-rolls of the rest of the pub. It was so evident that the Slytherins were victorious, and there was no denying that most of their glory came from the fact that Gemini Ridley was in their House.

The vision slowly dissolved, and she was back in the sitting room, seated in the chair once more. Voldemort was seated across her, and Gemini quickly wiped the stale tears welling in her eyes. "What I want isn't quite different from what you want—and no, I didn't make you believe in that ideology of ruling Muggles for the greater good, you thought of that on your own. I agree: Wizards should have the right to rule over Muggles."

His voice was charming, like a best friend's dad who treated you like his own, but Gemini was quick in thinking and wasn't buying any of it. " _All_ wizards." Gemini corrected. "Including half-bloods and Muggle-borns. The possession of power itself should give us the responsibility to take care of Muggles, no matter their parents. And no one has to die for it."

"Are you certain about that?" He asked coldly. "Because something has died for half-bloods and Muggle-borns: Wizarding tradition. As you have said this morning."

"I said the _possibility_ they're changing us _._ "

"I wasn't born seventeen years ago, Gemini. I have lived long enough to see the Wizarding community change because of Muggle-borns and Half-bloods and their Muggle ideals and traditions. They change us. It affects us. In fact, it's affecting you right now." Voldemort pointed at her. "Last descendant of Salazar Slytherin, the last legitimate heiress of the Most Ancient and Noble House of Black: in a pureblood world, you would be celebrated! One of the remaining few who could honestly say they have no Muggle relations, the last of two noblest bloodlines. And yet…here you are. Arrested for it. Condemned for it. Treated as a threat by the public because the Ministry is aware that you could revert the Wizarding World if you wanted to."

"That's a load of crap." Gemini scoffed, though part of her wondered if that were true. "You know what? I'll play your game. What is it you want from me? Because I know you wouldn't try to contact me if it wasn't necessary for you to…" She noticed Voldemort's smile and realized it. "You want to come back to life. Is that it?"

"You _are_ smart." Voldemort said condescendingly. "But before we do that, I'm going to need you to escape the Ministry first. Then you can start thinking about that."

The room began to shake slightly. The fire fluttered, causing shadows to dance around the room. Voldemort looked nervously around the room. "I don't have much time. This connection won't last very long now."

"Let's say I did want to escape." Gemini said sarcastically. "How would I plan on doing that? Have you seen the Aurors guarding me? Escape is impossible."

"No, it isn't."

"And why is that?"

Voldemort shrugged like the answer was so simple. "Because you're my daughter."

Gemini rolled her eyes. "In any case, assuming I want to escape _and_ assuming I escape successfully, what am I supposed to do? It's not like a "revival-potion-for-my-father's-remaining-piece-inside-me" potion is out there somewhere. And it's going to be a manhunt for my head, and I'm pretty sure Voldemort's daughter on the loose will warrant Aurors to use the Killing Curse for the public's alleged safety. _Everyone_ will be out to get me, and I'll be alone when I get out of the Ministry."

He laughed softly. "Everyone will be out to get you, yes," he nodded, "but you are not alone. From time to time, when I have established a connection with you, I have peeked into the minds of those near you. Believe me, you are not alone. There are others. Others who remain loyal—loyal for their own reasons, some good, some with unstable faith that you should not trust—but they are loyal, and they will arrive when you need it most."

Gemini wondered if this was just a lie, a ruse he was making to convince her that escaping the Ministry would not be in vain. She was certain it was, but she wasn't sure about anything anymore.

"I see…" She said dryly. "Is there anything else?"

Voldemort pursed his lips thinking before shaking his head. "None. What do you say?" He smiled toothily. "Join your father, fulfill the wishes your mother and I had planned for you, not which you have blindly believed to be your future. You were born to greatness, Gemini Black."

Gemini didn't need to think, but she kept quiet for a while, watching the tension on her father's face. Finally, when he was starting to look impatient, she smiled. "You can go to hell." She snarled.

He didn't look surprised, much to her disappointment, but he looked oddly at her. It was like controlled anger, disappointment, and determination. And for a moment, Gemini could see delight in his eyes, and she wondered if it was just the light or if he was really that twisted. "Excuse me?"

"You heard me: no." Gemini said, her voice hard. "I don't believe my future was going to be that bad and I sure as hell am not going to help you come back. You've already ruined me in that interrogation, I'm not going to make things any worse for myself. You can go to hell and stay there because I'm not helping you. Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to wake up. Nice talking to you, _dad._ "

She stood up and walked out of the sitting room. As she passed the threshold and into the dilapidated hallway, she was actually surprised that Voldemort didn't try to stop her. _I'll find a way to block him out. But if I do, how can I prove that I wasn't the one who said that?_ She wanted to turn around, but she didn't want to seem hesitant. _I'll figure something out._

"It's alright with me if you refuse." Voldemort called out. She could see him looking at her from the corner of her eye, and she had to look. He was the decayed red monster again, and his wide smile made her feel cold on the inside. "Lucky for me, it's a good thing I have more than just one night to, er… _convince_ you."


	39. Imprisoned and Tortured

Chapter 38

He was initially upset about the revelation that Gemini was the long-lost daughter of Bellatrix Lestrange and Voldemort. Oddly enough, while everyone was freaking out about the fact that she was Voldemort's daughter, Arnold was more concerned that she was Bellatrix's daughter; whom her father was made little difference when her mother was the witch who targeted his own family. But after reading the Daily Prophet and learning that she herself had no idea until the night of their party, he realized none of it was Gemini's fault. She had no idea, and he was sure that that was what she wanted to tell him before she found out about Orion, who had suddenly disappeared from the Leaky Cauldron after Gemini was arrested.

At first, Harry Potter promised to update them on what was happening inside the Ministry. The only update he gave, however, was that Gemini was cooperating and wasn't doing anything aggressive during her detainment, nothing more than what Arnold could find out from the Daily Prophet. Harry sadly told Neville last week that, for extra security measures, he could no longer tell them what was happening in the Ministry, only that she would be transported to Azkaban in two weeks, and until then, she was allowed to have visitors.

Arnold looked closer into the picture on his table, at Gemini's smiling face. _What's happening to you? Are you okay there? Do you miss me? Because I do._

Although he knew he could visit Gemini in the past week, he couldn't bring himself to get out of his room and go to the Ministry. There was a lack of closure, considering that Gemini was taken away seconds after she admitted to being Bellatrix's daughter, and Arnold was afraid he would see her and it would be different in the worst kind of way. It wouldn't be as simple as looking into the face of the girl he once loved. He was afraid it wouldn't be just Gemini anymore, and his eyes would scan her face, trying to find her mother's features in her, and he didn't know how he would react to that.

And then there was that small fact that she was _Bellatrix's daughter._ Though he knew he couldn't blame her for her parentage and kept telling himself that she was a better person than her mother, the thought of it was so unreal that part of him was too afraid of her to visit. Though he hated to admit it, Arnold was compartmentalizing her in his mind, dissociating into his memories of her and forcing himself to imagine that everything was fine.

There was a knock at the door. Arnold glanced and saw his father peeking. After the party, Neville had returned to Hogwarts and was one of the staff helping Headmaster Flitwick in closing the castle. "Dad? When did you get here?"

"A few minutes ago." Neville said lightly. "Your mum's been loudly wondering where you were downstairs, so naturally, that was her way of telling me to go check on you."

Neville entered the room and sat at the opposite side of Arnold's bed. "Can't stop thinking about her, can you?"

Arnold shot him a pointed look. "I've been in love with her for years. She was— _is—_ my fiancé. We were supposed to move into our own house the day before she was arrested. It's not common to find out that your fiancé is a Dark Witch whose parents were on the side of the war who tried to kill our family. And yet, for some sick reason, I can't stop missing her." He said, his voice wobbly. "And I still love her, despite all that. Of course I'm not over it."

Arnold slumped on his bed, feeling the tears creeping back into his eyes. "What do you think, dad?"

Neville looked unsurely. "What about?"

"Gemini _Black?_ " Arnold said impatiently. "The Dark Lord and Bellatrix's daughter? All this?"

Neville pressed his lips together, looking more bemused. "You know what I think about her mother, the insane, pureblood-crazed witch she was. But as for her…" He exhaled before looking at his son. "Look, it doesn't matter what I think. What do _you_ think, Arnie?"

"I…I…I don't know!" Arnold exclaimed. "I don't know what to think."

Neville placed a hand on his son's shoulder. "Go to her, Arnold. You can't keep wallowing in here. You need to talk to her before it's too late."

Arnold grimaced. No matter how much he didn't want to go, he realized Gemini would have wondered why he didn't visit the past week, and though he still felt awful, he knew it was nothing compared to Gemini alone in the Ministry's detaining area. "I'll go."

~0~

While the Atrium was quite normal—albeit the tangible tension—the tightened security at the bottom levels was evident. There was one Auror by the elevator who gave Arnold a pat-down and confiscated his wand. The staircase heading upstairs was guarded by another Auror, while another Auror was at the courtrooms. There were two other Aurors roaming the halls, and one more Auror by the staircase heading to the detaining cells below. Arnold was told to wait, and after ten minutes, he heard a commotion coming from the top of the stairs before he saw Harry Potter descend.

"Arnold," Harry greeted him politely.

Arnold nodded. "I would have come sooner, but…well, I…"

"No need to explain, I understand." Harry said. "Follow me."

"This is a lot of security for a prisoner that's cooperating—or so the Daily Prophet says." Arnold noted.

" _Or so the Daily Prophet says…_ " Harry said slowly. "That's why the Aurors called me when you arrived. I need to clear things up with you."

Harry placed a hand on the stair railing. "I need you to promise me that whatever I'm about to tell you and what you're about to see won't be shared with anyone else." He said sternly. "Your parents will get it out of you either way, but you must make sure no one—especially the Daily Prophet—doesn't find out the truth. To the public, Gemini isn't a threat because she doesn't act like one. And it has to stay that way. I don't agree with lying, but I know the consequences of telling people the truth, and I'd rather they remain ignorant of what's going on. It's a matter of safety and keeping people from panicking because people tend to do crazy things when they think their lives are in danger."

Arnold could feel a lump in his throat and his stomach about to drop. Harry Potter made it very clear that he hated the Fudge Administration for keeping quiet about Voldemort's return, so the fact that he was implementing something like that meant that something was very, very wrong. "I won't."

"Promise me, Arnold." Harry said. "Reporters have been hounding the Ministry to find more information on Gemini, and they know you're her fiancé and have probably already seen you going in. I'll help you get out the Ministry later, but you have to promise me to be careful about what you tell them."

"I promise. If they ask, I'll say Gemini's cooperating and isn't being aggressive or anything similar her parents would have done during capture?" Arnold confirmed.

"Yes, exactly like that."

"But is that what I'm going to see?"

Harry bit his lip. "Not exactly…" They walked down the long hallway of courtrooms. Harry explained.

After Gemini's arrest, the Ministry was telling the truth that she cooperated. Hermione kept her informed on what was going on, and after a day, Gemini allowed herself to be interrogated under a strong type of Veritaserum. However, while she said some questionable things about her past, it wasn't until the end did it start to go wrong. Minister Shacklebolt was planning on swearing her to an Unbreakable Vow not to do Dark Magic, but that possibility ended when Gemini spoke about her beliefs about Muggles and Wizards, and the Wizengamot thought she was a threat because of her powers mixed with her beliefs.

 _Gem, you're going to be an Auror,_ Arnold remembered saying. _Because I like you…I'm not going to tell anyone what you just said…You're a Slytherin…they'd expect you to say things like that. You already have that against you if you're to be an Auror, and I know how much you want to be one. I'm just looking out for you…_

Harry told him how the Wizengamot decided to send her to Azkaban for the time being, as there was a lingering threat of who she is, what she believed in, and what she was capable of now that she was aware of her Dark parentage. Gemini apparently did not react well to it, and while under the effect of Veritaserum, she called Hermione a Mudblood and swore against everyone in the room.

"And ever since then, her eyes have been more red than brown." Harry shuddered. "And not red like sore-eyes red. Red like…Voldemort's eyes red."

"So you want me to keep quiet because of that interrogation?" Arnold asked. _It's below the belt to call a Muggle-born a Mudblood, but maybe she got used to hearing that from her Slytherin friends. Plus, she's not evil, even if she believes all that bull about ruling Muggles. I'd go nuts too if they sent me to Azkaban for something I couldn't control._ "Just don't mention what happened?"

"That…and what you're about to see."

As they descended to the detaining cells, Harry told him about what happened after. Over the next few days, Gemini acted insanely, claiming Voldemort was out to get her to force her to bring him back, and that he tortures her to insanity in her sleep. She never slept throughout the night, constantly fighting to stay awake. In the mornings, she was restless, paranoid, and delusional.

"What if there was some truth in what she said? She might have seen Voldemort. He was into the Dark Arts, after all, maybe he found something to keep him alive…"

"It's been sixteen years, Arnold. If he was going to rise again, I'd have known." Harry said, lifting the long black hair covering his forehead to show his scar. "I saw him die by his own spell. Trust me, whatever she says or claims to see, Voldemort is dead."

He explained that Gemini began using self-harming methods to stay away, keeping herself in pain so she stayed awake. At one point she scratched her arms raw that they had to put her in chains to keep her from harming herself. However, she found a way to stay in pain by screaming and nearly ripped her vocal chords. Finally, they started putting sleeping charms on her so that she could sleep throughout the night and couldn't wake up. Harry thought that would make her better, but that only made her worse.

She woke up just as insane, this time begging the Aurors to stop with the sleeping charms. Gemini needed to be placed on calming charms on a constant basis, and they couldn't let her off the sleeping charms for her health and safety. It went on for two days until Gemini finally asked them to just kill her.

"She's not dead!" Harry assured him, noticing his worry. "She's not a threat, but a possible threat, but we don't execute witches based on _possible_ threats. She begged us, though. Said there was no point in keeping her alive. She assumed you didn't want to see her, and she could never live a normal life so even if the Wizengamot decided not to send her to Azkaban, she'd have nothing waiting for her once she'd gotten out."

A twinge of guilt so painful coursed through Arnold that he could have mistaken it for a Cruciatus Curse. _I should have gone here sooner._ "So…what did you do?"

"We kept placing the charms. The sleeping charms needed to get stronger, but every calming charm didn't seem to work anymore. She kept saying Voldemort was torturing her in her sleep. We kept it on for a few days, until she became…well…"

They reached the bottom of the staircase. It was similar to the courtroom hallway, only instead of wooden double doors there were metal bars covering stone arches. All but two were unlit.

"There's only one word for it:" Harry said unsurely. " _Broken_. She woke up one day—red eyes and all—and we were expecting her to scream and cry, but the odd thing was…she didn't. She just sighed and kept quiet. She didn't say one word about Voldemort, and for the rest of the day, she was very quiet."

They began walking down the hallway. "You know what a person looks like when they've lost something they've been really fighting for? When they've completely given up? The way someone closes their eyes and tilts their head back and sighs, and you can tell that they're trying to imagine themselves somewhere else? That's what I and the other Aurors saw that day. _Broken._ Completely broken."

"So is that it?" He asked glumly.

Harry sighed. "Like I said, if only it were that easy. That only lasted for a day. Two days ago, however…she's changed. And well…she didn't stay broken for long."

They were just near the first lit cell. The metal bars were open and instead of Aurors or Gemini, there were two wizards Arnold assumed were the janitors who were cleaning what looked like a wild party held by poltergeists and Cornish pixies. One custodian was unhinging a battered bathroom door off the wall, while the other was sweeping all the feathers, mirrors, and other scraps of cloth on the ground. Arnold saw that the cell next to it, the other lit cell, had no bars but had an almost invisible shimmering glow.

"Azkaban-grade protection." Harry explained as they walked towards it. "Prisoners can't get out unless they've got a part of them outside the cell, so they're pulled out."

"Arnold…" Arnold had been too focused on the shimmering cell guard that he didn't notice the rest of the cell.

It was hard to recognize her face. Her shiny, curly hair lost its volume and fell in flat tangles. Her pale skin was almost translucent. The only part of her skin that wasn't extremely pale were the scratch marks and scars over her arms, which Arnold could see because her hands were chained and raised loosely above her head, the chain attached to the ceiling. She was sitting on her bed, in a gray, shapeless dress. But what immediately caught his attention wasn't all that, but the bright red eyes staring back at him.

Gemini grinned at him. "Took you long enough to get here."

Harry grimaced. "I'll leave you to talk for a while. You'll see what I meant. Don't worry, she hasn't tried to escape."

" _Yet._ " Gemini added, the laughter in her voice. When she smiled, it was her usual sarcastic self, but the red, twisted eyes were ruining the memory of her. Arnold felt his heart broke. Harry nodded at him before turning back to the entrance, leaving Arnold alone with her.

"Gemini…" Arnold said slowly. "What…what happened to you?"

"I woke up," she said as if it was the most obvious thing. Harry came back shortly with a chair for Arnold, who sat as close as he could to the boundary despite Harry's warning before leaving again.

"When did you decide to visit?" Gemini asked emotionlessly. "I'm surprised you're even here, considering who I am. The last time my father saw your father, he almost burned your father's head off. Of course, that wasn't before my mother tortured your grandparents to insanity. Plus there's the fact that their side nearly killed your great-grandmother and killed god knows how many relatives of yours who tried to defy the Dark side." She laughed almost evilly. "Kind of a dumb move coming here, really, considering all that."

"What? Gemini…" Arnold said, taken aback. "This isn't you speaking..."

"Spare me your 'I'm-a-better-person-than-I-let-on' bullshit. Open your eyes, Arnold." She snapped, shaking her chains loudly. "You think a good person ends up in my position? I'm not meant to be a nice person. I'm _not_ a nice person. I fooled myself into thinking a normal life with you could ever be mine—not anymore. I _know_ I'm meant for other things. Better things."

"But I love you…" Arnold said weakly, his heart almost audibly shattering at every word.

"Love? Really?" Gemini scoffed. "That's your argument? It's not a very good one is it? In any case, I'm afraid I can't say the same thing. I'm not meant to love anyone. And I find it really stupid how you still think I could love you after all this."

Arnold felt the tears roll down his face, and what made it even worse was how Gemini did not look remorseful at all, and even looked happy in his misery. _I'm too late._ He thought despairingly. _It's far too late._

And yet, despite his heartbreak, something seemed wrong. He was damn sure Gemini could never say anything like this, unless…

"Voldemort's alive." He breathed. "You were telling the truth, weren't you? And he got to you."

Gemini moved her hands closer to each other and clapped slowly. "Highly-trained Aurors and the _librarian_ gets it." She sneered. "But no, he didn't _get_ to me, he merely showed me the proper path a Slytherin and a Black should take."

"And what is that?"

"I'm going to bring my father back." Gemini said proudly. "I'm going to escape, I'm going to bring him back, and then I'm going to help him finish what he started."

Arnold glanced at Harry, who was sitting at the bottom of the stairs with another Auror nearby. They didn't have seemed to hear what she said. "You have to be careful about what you say, Gem," Arnold warned her. "They'd send you to Azkaban quicker if you made herself look more like a threat."

"Place me in Azkaban?" Gemini mused, smiling thoughtfully. "Maybe I'll get a cell next to my step-father. Azkaban: the place riddled with Dementor residue. And correct me if I'm wrong, history boy, but which side of the war did Dementors side with? And I'm the daughter of the most powerful Dark Wizard of all time. The Ministry's practically handing me everything I need to raise my own army of Dementors."

"I swear to Merlin, Gemini, I'm going to tell them what you're saying." Arnold said, his lips tightening into a stern line. "If that's what you're planning, then they'll have to keep you locked up down here."

She shrugged. "Even worse for them, it'll just be easier to get out. The way I see it: they can put me in Azkaban or they can keep me locked here. Doesn't matter. I'll still be getting out." She giggled at the thought of it. "There's a prophecy about me, you know. I will bring my father back either way, so my escape is pretty inevitable."

This was all Arnold could take. He glanced back at Harry.

"No need to look afraid." Gemini snapped. "You're not special. Everything I told you, I've already told them. How stupid they are though, not taking me seriously. I think Harry's forcing himself to believe Voldemort is gone. Would rather believe I'm nuts than honest."

Arnold stood up. "This isn't you speaking, and I know it. You're not evil. I don't know why you're doing this, but it won't work because I love you enough to know that this isn't you. I'm not even certain Voldemort's back. Please…tell me why you're doing this. Have you given up hope on getting out? Do you think nothing's waiting for you outside? I'm sorry if I haven't visited, I was too scared of seeing things differently now that everyone knows the truth. And things _are_ different now, and part of me wishes I visited earlier so things wouldn't have to be that different and I could have promised you that everything is going to be okay." He passed his hand through the barrier, placing a hand on hers. "Don't give up hope and destroy yourself. _I_ still love you. I'm going to help you get out. I'm going to prove that you're not someone who deserves to be locked in Azkaban. And we're still going to have that life together, as promised."

After that long speech, Gemini looked at him with disinterest. She looked as if she didn't even hear him. "My father should have just killed your father." She said in a bored voice.

 _Why are you doing this?!_ Arnold said, the sound of his breaking heart audible in his ears. "Do you even still love me? Even a little bit?"

She shrugged. "N…no."

Arnold looked at her. She struggled to answer, and that was enough to give him hope. Her lips were quivering, and she looked like she struggled to move, and it wasn't because of the chains, but it looked like something was stopping her from moving, like she was trapped in a fading body-bind curse. He watched her red eyes darken to her familiar brown eyes and she looked at him as tears started falling down her face.

"Arnold, you have to listen to me, there's not that much time." Gemini said, her voice throaty like she struggled to get it out. "You have to go. I can't explain, but take your family and get out of England. You're not safe here, especially not while I'm here."

"Gemini?" Arnold asked, stepping inside until only his foot was outside the cell. "Gemini! What's going on?"

"Don't ask, Arnold. Just get out!" Gemini raised her legs and feebly tried pushing him out. "You need to leave and hide from me. There's no stopping what's coming now. He's gotten to me—"

"Who? Voldemort?"

"Doesn't matter, just stay away…"

"Gemini, I can't stay away from you. Especially now that I know something's up." Arnold said. "I love you and I'm not letting you go through this alone."

She turned to him. "Do you really love me?"

"Of course I do. Do you—"

"Would you do anything for me?"

"Yes, but—"

"Then kill me." Gemini said tearfully. "If you can't stay away, kill me and be done with it. I'm not safe."

"You know I can't do that." Arnold said. "Please don't ask me to do that."

"You'll…you'll be saving…" Gemini said tightly. "Arnold, please, there isn't that much time…kill me before…before…"

Gemini turned to him and smiled evilly as her eyes glowed red again. She cackled loudly, and Arnold quickly moved out of the cell. She stood up from her bed, the chains twisting her arms painfully as she turned to him. She didn't flinch and smiled at him. "You are a fool, Neville Longbottom, and you will pay for it with your life." She said smugly, rolling her eyes at his pathetic look. "Tell me, are you stupid enough to love the daughter of those who tried to kill your family?"

Part of Arnold wished he had killed her. _No,_ he told himself. _As long as one part of herself remains, I'm not going to stop caring for her. I'll find a way to bring her back…somehow…_ "No, I've never been in love with her. I'm in love with Gemini Ridley, the girl I once knew. The girl who would never had said what Gemini Black had just said."

For a split-second, he saw a look of remorse and sadness on her face. She shifted uncomfortably as she adjusted herself so the chains weren't twisting her arms. Her red eyes did not glow and for a few seconds looked reddish-brown, but slowly turned red again. "That's too bad, because Gemini Ridley is dead." She took a step forward, her arms pulled behind her as she tried to step closer to the boundary. "How many people do I have to kill before you realize I'm not a good person?"


	40. EPILOGUE - A Group Reborn

Epilogue

They were the few who believed. They were the first who knew. And, as befitting all Slytherins, they were the only ones who knew what was really happening. Not that they'd tell anyone of course. Where was the profit in that?

They gathered in their usual place: the drawing room in the mansion at Essex. It was a carbon copy of every wealthy pureblood mansion, though in the darkness of the room, the portraits and trinkets and statues were but silhouettes, save for the couches and the people sitting in front of the fireplace. They had kept track of the news—as they had done for so many years—but now, their gatherings had become more and more frequent as the truth finally became public.

"What now?" The man in the single couch said. There were fifteen of them in this room, and though he could not see it, he knew all of them were looking at the object on the table, one so powerful that it could have counted as a sixteenth person.

"What now?" Another man said incredulously. " _What now,_ Nott? Are you that thick? That's the Dark Lord's daughter. We must get ready—now!"

"And what good is that, Goyle?" A woman said, flipping her black hair haughtily. "She's got his powers, that's given—or so Harper says. That doesn't mean she's any good to follow."

"Is this you speaking, Pansy, or is the fact that she's Malfoy's cousin rubbing you the wrong way?" Goyle sniggered.

"'Could be one and the same," Warrington chimed in. A flicker of the light and they could see Pansy Parkinson glaring at them.

Pansy ignored them and turned to the eldest in the group, a man with thin, round bifocals and receding gray hair, and a face that always frowned. "Are you certain about what you saw?"

"There is no mistaking it." Harper said. He was the oldest and the only Ravenclaw in the room, which was why he lacked the familiarity the others had with each other. Though if age brought respect, no one in the room thought the same. "She has her father's beliefs. She is weak by saying we do not have to weed out the Mudbloods and blood traitors, but…it is there. I saw it during the interrogation. The hatred in her when I said she couldn't be safe. The potential is there. She could be the one to lead us, the child the prophecy stated."

"Well that _weakness_ is all it could take to ruin our plans." Pansy said to everyone. "Rodolphus Lestrange may be telling the truth, but if she's nothing compared to her father—"

"Damn it, Parkinson! We've spent seventeen years looking for her. _Now_ you're doubting our plan?" Theodore Nott snapped.

"Well, she did get herself arrested." Pansy said matter-of-factly. "She'd have left by now if she was anything like her father. The fact that she's not out there right now proves just how little we should put our faith in her."

The older ones argued amongst themselves. Across the fireplace, the seven younger ones looked amongst themselves in irritation. These meetings were an absolute bore to them. The plan was clear and simple, as it had been for years. Their side of the job was simple: watch over Gemini. And they were successful after all this time. So it was a big wonder why the older ones couldn't get their shit together and come through.

"Alright, that's enough!" The thinnest girl said, quieting the rest of the adults. She was naturally so ladylike in their presence that her outburst surprised them. "This is stupid! We should stop fighting each other and focus on the plan. The plan _should_ continue. And I should know. I've been watching her the longest."

She eyed them all, daring them to object. She knew on the inside that they wouldn't—she had given them enough information, _valuable_ information, which had helped so many times. They didn't, and she continued. "If you're afraid that she's nothing like her father, then you're wrong. She was engaged to a Longbottom, yes, and she's done many things that aren't very Slytherin-like, yes. But if you think she's not going to escape, that's where you're wrong. I'm sure she's finding the right time to act.

"Look," she continued, walking slowly towards the table. "Seven years ago, you told all of us that our job was simple: befriend any orphaned Muggle-born sorted into Slytherin, in case one ever showed up. And she did—though you can't imagine how much effort we put into convincing everyone she was half-blood because we'd never be seen with a Mudblood. We didn't understand why at first, but now that we're old enough to know what this plan means, I'm not going to sit by and let you throw this plan away. This is our one chance to restore the Wizarding world to our favor, after that Mudblood Granger made all those laws. We can't give up now."

"No, Abigail, we can't."

He was standing beside the fireplace, the shadows flickering on his face. Abigail involuntarily took a step back as he walked to the table. They watched in awe as he carelessly took Voldemort's wand from its case, examining it like it were an ordinary quill. No one dared touch it like that, not even Borgin himself. "Are you certain this won't get traced back to us, Flint?" He asked.

Marcus Flint stepped forward, motioning his daughter to sit down. "Yes." He replied. "I've made sure Borgin took…precautions, to make sure it won't."

"Good. Because I happen to know that in a few months' time, that Mudblood's Dark map in the Ministry may extend all the way here, and hiding this will be impossible." He smiled. "It pays to have an ear in the Ministry."

Harper looked down, which he ignored. "Your daughter is right, Flint. We must go through with the plan…but we must also be cautious." He said with a careless finality no one dared question or oppose. "For now, we wait. We wait and see if Gemini will prove herself worthy of her father's cause. But until then, we do what we've always done."

"And that is?" Abigail asked in a bored voice.

He smiled at her, his dark hair and dark eyes like embers in the fire. "We stay in the shadows, of course."

Abigail rolled her eyes and walked to the long table behind her. "She'll escape soon. I know her. No one's more Slytherin than her, obviously. She was the best in our class long before she even knew she was a pureblood.

"And besides…" Abigail added, taking one of the masks on the table. They were silver in color, and looked like a bird skull with a pointy beak. The beak was made of real silver and was extremely sharp, which she found unnecessary. _Tacky,_ she thought. _Do they expect us to peck our enemies to death? They should have let_ me _make the masks. Whatever._ She put the mask on her head and adjusted the straps so it went under her hair. "The queen's gonna need her army."

 **~END OF PART 1~**


	41. PART 2: Wheels in Motion

**PART 2: The Heir Rises**

Chapter 1

She was getting out of here. She didn't know how, but she knew she was getting out of here. The prophecy said she was going to fulfill her father's mission, after all, and she couldn't do that if she was stuck in Azkaban. They told her they were transporting her there in four days. _Four days,_ Gemini thought. _I have four days to plan my escape._

There was no other time she could escape; she only had one window to try. Despite what she said to Arnold yesterday, escaping the Ministry of Magic and escaping Azkaban was nearly impossible. They were both heavily guarded, now that they saw that she was a dangerous threat. But during the broom ride to Azkaban, Gemini would be out in the open; she would be transported by a group of Aurors, yes, but when out in the open, they would be at their most vulnerable, and Gemini knew that was her only chance of escape.

Gemini thought about what her father said about people outside who secretly supported her. She knew they were out there somewhere, but they were probably waiting to see what she was capable of. She quickly ruled out the chance of her being intercepted during the transport. She was on her own, and she needed to come up with a plan, and fast.

Her time spent in the Auror Office gave her enough knowledge to know how Aurors transported prisoners to Azkaban. After the trial in the courtrooms, they were kept in the detaining cells until they were transported to Azkaban. They did not exit the regular way, but through a complex series of doors found in a path Aurors could pass through, the entrance of which was behind the running water at the end of the detaining area. Once they reached the end of that path, the Aurors—usually three or four of them—would mount their brooms. The senior Auror of the group would have the prisoner behind them, a body binding curse applied on them, before flying to Azkaban. From there, they would make sure the prisoner was secure in their cell. Unless Gemini could swim for hours, there was no way out once they landed on Azkaban.

Ever since she had finally seen the wisdom in her father's ways, her father had stopped haunting her dreams, satisfied that she now believed in what he did. But now that he was quiet, Gemini was all alone in coming up with a plan, and she would have liked a hint of how she could escape or if the one plan that came in her head was worth trying. She had a plan— _a_ plan—but it was so full of possible flaws and depended on everyone doing everything according to her plan that if even one part fell out of line, she wouldn't be able to escape. She thought through the plan, and she knew that if it were to work, she would have to be precise about how the wizards in her plan would react once the chain of events started, and if they didn't….the memory of Rodolphus Lestrange rotting away in Azkaban made her shudder.

But when she thought harder, she knew there was no other way around escaping the Aurors. She couldn't concentrate enough to perform wandless spells, and apparition was impossible in Azkaban. The plan wasn't perfect, but it was her only plan, and Gemini knew that the sooner she could set it in motion, the better.

From the clock across her cell, Gemini could see that the time was 6:34 in the morning. In twenty-six minutes, Aurors would come to bring her breakfast, the only time the chains were lowered so she could eat. _If I do this well enough, it could work,_ Gemini thought, biting her lower lip. She hated what she was about to do next, but with no other option, she had no choice. _Here goes nothing…_

She shook at the chains keeping her hands above her head. The Auror guarding her tonight was a heavy sleeper, so she knew this was probably the only time she could do this. She adjusted the chains until she found the perfect angle, and then when she found it began rubbing the rough metal against her skin.

It started off as repetitive, uncomfortable but repetitive shaking of the skin on her wrists against the metal. But, after minutes of repeating this, Gemini had to start biting her lip as her skin started feeling raw, the touch of the chains giving a faint sting on her skin. She knew she had to keep going and bit her lip and kept rubbing.

She kept this on, ignoring the pain that got worse as she kept rubbing and refusing to look up in fear that she might stop. She started feeling weak as the pain got worse, but she willed herself to keep going. Five minutes before seven, Gemini could feel the blood beginning to trickle down her arm. She heard footsteps coming down the hall and stopped rubbing. As quietly as she could, she laid back down on the bed, twisting her body to look like she had slept uncomfortably, and closed her eyes as if she had been sleeping this whole time.

"Morning Jenkins," She heard Harry's voice. "Thanks for doing the night shift. You're free to—what happened?"

Gemini lowered her breathing. She heard the protective shield on her cell pop and, seconds later, felt someone tug at her chains. She pretended to wake up, groaning in pain as she looked at her bloody wrists. They were bloodier than she imagined, with some smears on the metal. She shuddered at it, earning Harry's sympathetic grimace.

"W-what happened?" Gemini asked woozily, wincing at the sight of her wrists.

"You've chaffed through your chains." Harry said quietly. "It's really bad." He called for the Auror Jenkins and ordered the Medical Team go down quickly.

Harry kept watch as the Medical Wizards arrived minutes later, unchaining her hands from the ceiling. Their wands were not with them, and had to use healing salves on her wrists and gave her medicine to take for the blood loss. When they left, Harry approached her.

"Considering that we've kept you in chains to prevent you from self-harm last week, since you're not trying to harm yourself anymore, I've decided not to chain you up anymore until we transport you to Azkaban." Harry said formally. "The boundary's enough protection for now."

Gemini nodded wordlessly. Harry was surprised, considering how vocal Gemini had been the last few days, and motioned at the tray of food he left on a table. "Breakfast's here. Well…if that's all…"

Gemini stared at him, saying nothing and pretending to look dead in the eyes. He nodded at her before walking out the cell, whispering the spell that let the boundary lower for a few seconds, giving him enough time to exit the cell before it went back up.

Gemini waited until Harry was gone before smiling thinly. _All according to plan._ She was now unchained, free to move on her own.

She got out of bed and walked to the table where her breakfast was placed. They served a full English breakfast, but she wasn't paying attention to the food, but at the wooden tray it was served in. It was a rectangular tray made of dark oak with a hole on both sides on the flat, shorter end for carrying. The longer side's perimeter was a small, wooden, concave half-cylinder decorated with curved lines.

Making sure Harry wasn't nearby, Gemini pried the longer wooden edge of the tray. It took her three attempts to do it, but she managed to yank the edge off. She didn't pull the entire side, as an inch of one end of the edge broke off and remained on the tray. She wanted to try yanking the other end off, but she was scared she didn't have enough time to try again. She walked back to the other side of the cell, checking again for Harry before kneeling in front of the nearby wall. During her time chained, she noticed a small space in the stone wall between two stones that didn't fit together properly, and she carefully slid the wood inside. When she was sure no one would see it, she got back up and sat on the table.

She was hungry and wanted to eat the entire tray, but she forced herself to only eat a little. If she ate too much, her plan wouldn't be as messy as she'd like it to be, and if she planned it wrong, then she could get caught. She ate half the sausages, toast, a little bit of egg, and drank a bit of her juice. Almost three-quarters of her food was still on the table, but Gemini took a deep breath, thinking it was enough to leave the cell a mess.

Gemini screamed at the top of her lungs, straining the vocal chords she nearly broke a few days ago. She took the glass and hurled it at the wall, sending shards of glass and juice flying around the room. The shards were too small to work with, but she looked at the tray and knew she wouldn't need to. She threw her plastic utensils at the boundary, which made the utensils twitch before turning black. She took a handful of baked beans and threw them around the room, messing around the house. The sound of footsteps running to her cell could be heard, and Gemini knew she had to act fast.

She threw the rest of her food around the room, making a big mess. She brought the tray down on her knee, breaking the tray into smaller pieces every time she did so. She was taking only one side of the tray, but she didn't want to risk the Aurors finding out, and if she ripped the food and tray around the room, chances are, they wouldn't notice if the broken bits of wood was missing a piece. Gemini turned around and saw Harry and two other Aurors staring at her. Gemini fell on her knees, throwing all but one wood shard towards her bed. In her hands was a particularly sharp wood shard broken from the bottom of the tray.

"I can't do this anymore…" Gemini whispered.

Harry yelled, "No!" but before he could even get the boundary down, Gemini placed the shard on her newly-healed wrist and quickly sliced a crude slit on it. Gemini screamed in pain, but quickly did the same on her other wrist. The pain was so unbearable, the cut deeper than she imagined, the healing skin ripping apart despite the healing salve on it, that the last thing she remembered was falling on the floor, the wooden shard falling a few inches away from her, just as Harry Potter and the others finally entered the cell.


	42. Regrets and Redemption

Chapter 2

Gemini woke up in what looked like a hospital room. It wasn't the Infirmary in Hogwarts or one of the wards in St. Mungo's, but it was a small room with two beds lined on either side of the room. On the side of her bed, Harry Potter was sitting on a chair, sitting up straight as he saw her stir.

"Thank god you're alive, Gemini." Harry said gently, leaning forward to whisper to her. "You scared us all."

Gemini tried to look at her wrists, and that was when she realized that her arms were strapped to the bed. She strained her neck upwards to look at her wrists and saw a faint trace of a violent red gash with stitches around it.

"That was…more painful than I thought it would be." Gemini muttered.

"I'll say." Harry exhaled. "You broke an artery—that's something difficult to fix with even the strongest of charms. The doctors said you were lucky we were there; you could have died if we weren't. What were you thinking?!"

Gemini felt the tears welling in her eyes. _I almost died._ "I was thinking: if you weren't going to kill me, I have to do it myself." She said croakily. "I've been trying to get you to kill me this whole time, and I ended up getting chained. I figured that time was my only chance."

"What do you mean?" Harry asked, moving his chair closer to hear her, though warily moved back when he thought it was a trick.

"Ever since the interrogation, the way those people talked about me, how they looked at me, it made me realize: no matter what the Wizengamot thought, whether or not I was guilty of something or free to leave, my life was never going to be the same again. What I experienced in the courtroom was just a taste of what was waiting for me outside. So I figured the safest way was to get locked up in Azkaban. If I were there, no one would get hurt. So I said that…about everyone. About Hermione...

"I didn't mean any of it." Gemini said after a coughing pause. "I just wanted to get it over with. The farther I was from London, the better. But you didn't send me there fast, did you? So I tried to get you to send me away faster. And when that didn't work…I considered just ending everything, seeing I had nothing left to live for."

"And Voldemort?" Harry asked.

Gemini shook her head. "None of it was real. I just figured that if you thought I was a real threat, you'd consider executing me for safety. You can see I've been trying really hard just to get your to do something, but you kept using damned charms to detain me. I thought I couldn't wait any longer to get to Azkaban."

 _Thought so,_ Harry thought, relieved. _This is all her trying to just end it. She was just pretending._ _Of course Voldemort wasn't back._ "Gemini, if what you're saying is true, then…everything you did…none of it was true. You're not a threat, are you?"

She sniffed, the tears streaming down her face. "Not the physical manifestations. But as Voldemort's daughter, yes: the threat _is_ there." She said, her voice extremely strained. "And when I was unchained, I thought…I thought…

"Anyway, when I was…you know…" she tried raising her forearm, "there was actually a second of regret there. Funny how just as my life was slipping away just as I wanted, the part of me that wanted to stay alive started screaming, regretting I hadn't tried to kill myself. You know what I was thinking about?"

"What was it?" Harry asked patiently.

"My fiancé, Arnold." Gemini said, showing the faintest of smiles, a genuine, happy smile Harry hadn't seen on her in a long time. "He promised me he was going to make everything okay for me when I get out of here; said he was going to help me. He said he still loved me, despite where I came from, and there was no reason we couldn't continue like before.

"But I found it hard to believe. My view of him changed when I found out who my mother was, why didn't his? But when I was there, on the floor on my cell, bleeding out and all, I kept thinking about what I was missing—and all because of something I could never change. I was giving up my life because I was Voldemort's daughter, yet that has never affected me until now. I can't get my job back in Malfoy Apothecary or in the Ministry, but I want to be free—and free the right way, without escaping here. I can't get the life I've always wanted, but if Arnold thinks I can, then why can't we?"

She looked straight into Harry's eyes. "I want to fix what I've done." She said solemnly. "I want to explain why I did what I did. I want to help the ministry prove I'm not a threat. I want to really prove to everyone that I'm not going to harm anyone at all. I'm not going to let my parentage define who I'm going to be. I swear on my life."

Harry sat back, weighing on his options. When he thought about it, it was plain and simple. If Gemini _was_ truly evil, then he couldn't explain why someone who swore to kill all of them nearly kill herself after losing so much hope. He and the rest of the Ministry overestimated her: Gemini was an intelligent Slytherin witch, but she used her brain not for evil, but for cunning and tricked everyone into believing what they already thought they knew about her so she could be locked up for everyone's safety. But in truth, she was just a scared young witch who wanted to protect everyone, even from herself.

Something about it didn't seem right to Harry, however. _A Slytherin witch willing to kill herself for the interests of others?_ He thought critically. _A Gryffindor, maybe, but a Slytherin?_

But then his thoughts went back to his first day at Hogwarts, when the Sorting Hat sat on his head and debated a decision that had changed his life forever. At one point, the Sorting Hat spoke about putting him in Slytherin, saying it was torn between placing him in between the two Houses. Looking back, Harry always thought it was because of the part of Voldemort living inside of him, and Harry was lucky he had the courage to tell the Sorting Hat to not put him in Slytherin.

 _Could the same be true for Gemini?_ He pondered. She was a Slytherin, no doubt: she showed cunning, ambition, determination, and she knew what she wanted and how to get it on her terms. But Harry knew Gryffindors, Ravenclaws, and Hufflepuffs who showed the same when it was called for, and the only difference was that Slytherins did things for their own self-interests. Yet here she was, trying to get herself killed or locked up for the sake of others, something a _Gryffindor_ would have done. _What if she was only sorted into Slytherin because she's Voldemort's daughter, thus a descendant of Salazar Slytherin himself? What if the Sorting Hat recognized Slytherin's blood in her the same way he did to me? If she didn't have Slytherin's blood, would she have been sorted to Gryffindor? Would she have been put in Gryffindor if she asked?_

He looked at the teary-eyed, sickly-looking girl strapped to the bed and remembered Snape, the one Slytherin man who died for a very Gryffindor cause. _It doesn't matter what House she is,_ Harry thought. _The point is…she was innocent. And now she wants to help._

"I can help, you know." Gemini said when she noticed Harry gazing down on her. "Anything I can do to help the Ministry prove I'm not a threat, I'll do it."

"You will?"

She nodded. "I'll even…I'll even participate in an interview with the Daily Prophet. I'll make sure they see I'm not dangerous. After what they did to discredit you years ago, I'm sure they haven't got some of their credibility back. Let them personally see me and interview me and I'll get them to see I'm not harmful."

"You'd do that?" Harry said brightly. "That's great! That's not a bad idea, actually. I'll get Hermione to call them and we'll set up an interview tomorow. My wife Ginny is a reporter there. She's not a news writer, but I think—"

"Actually, I was just thinking," Gemini said, getting part of her lively personality back. "What if Raymond Skeeter interviewed me?"

"Raymond Skeeter?" Harry scowled. "You'd want _him_ to interview you? Hermione obviously didn't tell you that—"

"That Raymond Skeeter was the only reporter writing nasty stuff about me on the Daily Prophet in that column of his? I'm quite aware. Which is why I need him to change his mind. If he changes his mind, the whole DP will be saying the same thing: I'm not a threat. I know it's not much, but it might help some wizards sleep easier that way. And some wizards like to believe the worst—and Raymond Skeeter is the worst."

Harry scratched his head. "That's…that actually makes sense." He thought for a moment, weighing his options. _There's nothing to lose._ "Fine. I'll setup an interview with him by tomorrow. However…unfortunately, while the order still stands, you're to stay in the detaining area until the time we send you to Azkaban."

"How many days do I have left?"

"Two days. You've been asleep for the past two days trying to get the blood back in your system."

"What time is it?"

"Almost evening."

Gemini sighed. "Very well."

Harry allowed her to rest for a few more hours before she was healed and ready to be taken back to her cell. For the first time in a long time, Gemini did not struggle, did not yell, and did not try to claw anyone who got near. She refused the wheelchair, asking to let her legs move around after a long time, and they guarded her lightly as she walked cooperatively back to her cell.

"I won't chain you anymore, as promised, but we're taking extra care now." Harry said as a female Auror helped her sit on her bed while two others put some spell on everything in her cell that made them soft and unbreakable.

"I'll be fine…thank you, Harry."

He nodded, giving a kind smile before he and the Aurors exited the cell. "I'm going to help you, Gemini. I promise." He said before the rest of all of them exited from sight.

As soon as the Aurors were gone, Gemini peeked at the hole in the wall, relieved to see that the stick was still in its place. She stood up, the triumphant smile that she had tried stifling for so long finally escaping her lips. _All according to plan._

* * *

 **Disclaimer: Please note that I am not promoting suicide in any way and I think people who consider suicide should not be made fun of or ridiculed, and need caring people to support them. This was merely a way of showing how twisted Gemini's mind has become after being tortured by Voldemort to follow him.**


	43. Shared Pain

Chapter 3

"Good morning, mum."

"'Morning, dear." Hannah Longbottom reached up and patted her tall son on the head. "Have a seat, I'll fix you up some breakfast."

Arnold shook his head. "Already had something upstairs. I thought I'd do some helping around the pub today."

"Err…" Hannah said hesitantly, "We're fine here. Maybe you just need to relax, dear."

"I'm fine, mum. I just…just need to take my mind off of…you know..."

Hannah knew. The past week had been a nightmare, being bombarded with nosy reporters who wouldn't keep their distance and constantly reminding the family of their tragedy. But if things were not well for her, she couldn't imagine what Arnold was going through. The week he should have been settling down with his fiancé was instead the week the world learned the biggest irony that his fiancé was the daughter of You-Know-Who and Bellatrix Lestrange. Since the night she was arrested, there was something Arnold lost. The day after he visited her in prison, Hannah had never seen her son look more in despair.

"Very well," Hannah sighed. She looked at the counter. "For starters, you can take the breakfast to the inn. Your dad's upstairs helping Professor Slughorn settling in."

"Professor Slughorn's here?"

"Yes." She answered uneasily. "He's been very uncomfortable in his home and decided to take a vacation around London. Doesn't stay in the same place for too long, apparently, so your father's invited him to stay."

Arnold took the prepared tray and headed up the inn. It was only when he stepped onto the second floor landing did he realize the irony he was in: his first attempt to get his mind off of Gemini was by going to the floor that reminded him of her. The room she stayed in had been cleaned the day she was arrested, just after he had their things moved to the house that should have been theirs. Naturally, there was no trace of her in that room anymore, but the fact that she had stayed there for months, made many memories with him in that room, and that that was the room he proposed to her, it was heartbreaking just looking at the room's door. He wanted to open it, see the room that carried all those memories of her, but he took a deep breath and forced himself not to.

Neville came out of Room 5. Arnold was somewhat relieved that he didn't have to pass by Gemini's room. "'Morning, dad. For Professor Slughorn." Arnold said, raising the tray slightly.

"Good, good, thanks Arnie." Neville said absentmindedly. He turned to leave but stopped, turning abruptly to him. "How are you feeling?"

"I'm…good." Arnold shrugged. "Could have been better, but I'm…I'm trying, dad."

"I know, son. You'll get through this." Neville said. Arnold nodded before making his way to Professor Slughorn's room.

The room didn't have the large windows in Gemini's room, and the only view was the courtyard leading to Diagon Alley. It wasn't totally dim with the high walls of the other buildings next to the Leaky Cauldron, but compared to Gemini's room, there were more lamps inside the room. If the door creaked as Arnold entered, Professor Slughorn didn't show it. He was staring blankly out the window, though there was nothing to be looked at from his window but the dusty courtyard.

"Good morning, Professor." Arnold said, setting the tray down on the table. "Would that be all, professor?"

Professor Slughorn didn't respond. He didn't even turn around to acknowledge him. "Right, well, if that'll be all…"

"You were fiancé, right?" Professor Slughorn rasped, his voice wheezy, almost tired in a way. He turned around to face Arnold, who saw that his gaunt, sunken face matched his voice. "You were…I heard from Neville you were set to marry by the end of the year, I take it?"

Arnold nodded. "Neville Longbottom's son…" Professor Slughorn said thoughtfully. "I'm afraid I don't remember you that much in Hogwarts, not that many Gryffindors in my N.E.W.T. potions…Arvin, right?"

"Arnold, sir." Arnold knew that wasn't true; there were practically the same number of Slytherins and Gryffindors in class, though twice as many Slytherins in the Slug Club. Arnold had never been invited to the club; compared to bright students like Gemini and Alexander Wood and to students whose families had good connections like, well, every Slytherin in the Slug Club, there was not enough room for the son of the Herbology professor who had a brief stint as an Auror in the Ministry of Magic. Not that he wanted to, though.

"Ahhh, yes. I'm afraid I can't remember you much." Slughorn said. He shifted his body to face Arnold, who saw a glass flask in his hands. The alcohol inside the flask was nearly empty. "But Gemini Ridley— _Black,_ Gemini _Black,_ forgive me if I can't forget years of calling her that—now that was a student a teacher could never forget.

"She was absolutely brilliant, that girl." Slughorn smiled weakly. He nodded to an empty chair, and Arnold sat, listening intently, remembering that it was this old professor who introduced Gemini to their world. "From the moment I met her in that orphanage, I knew she was wise beyond her years. Mature for her age. Inquisitive. And that look in her eyes, that look on her face like she was determined to succeed, I just knew she was going to be great. Her power—remarkable. She was never a bookworm but, Merlin's beard, she knew everything by sheer instinct."

His smile disappeared. "I should have seen it coming." He said sadly. "Of all the professors in Hogwarts, I was the only one who should have seen it. Her remarkable talent despite growing up in the orphanage? Her close relationship to myself? Her ambition? Even her damned last name should have rang a bell! And that necklace! I remember now! I saw an exact copy of that necklace on the night of the Battle of Hogwarts: right at the throat of Gemini's own mother. And everything about her was her father, Tom Riddle: the looks, the brains, even their…their ability to charm whomever they want. Heh, for once, those looney conspiracy theorists are right: Gemini Black is the Second Coming of her father."

"You couldn't have known, Professor." Arnold said.

"You're right, I couldn't have. But that doesn't mean I didn't help." He looked at Arnold guiltily, biting his wrinkled lower lip nervously. "I'm afraid I've caused all this, Arnold. This…this is all my fault. I'm sorry."

"You couldn't've…"

"I told Tom about Horcruxes, now I've lead that girl to the truth. If it weren't for me…" He began to sob drunkenly.

"Professor…" Arnold said uneasily. He waited for Professor Slughorn to calm down before he continued. "Professor, no one could have stopped her from finding out, and I don't even think you _did_. The news said so—Draco Malfoy said the letter Bellatrix left Gemini said that there was a prophecy about her. You didn't tell her about her family, did you?"

"But I told her." Slughorn sniffed. "I remember that day. Gemini needed a topic for her research, and I led her to one. I told her to search for the people who would turn out to be her family. If it weren't for me…"

"If it weren't for you, she'd find out one way or another." Arnold said firmly. "And whatever you told her to do, that didn't change the fact that Draco Malfoy was looking for her in the first place. If he stayed away from her like his mother told him to…"

"That too! Didn't you read the papers on how Draco confessed to looking for her? I led him to the Ministry. Everything I said about her, _bragged_ about her, he realized she was working for the Ministry. If I didn't tell him…"

"Professor," Arnold interrupted tightly. "It's not your fault. It's not Draco Malfoy's fault—though he could have done wiser and avoided her. I don't know what the prophecy was, but Gemini knew it and Bellatrix Lestrange knew it and whatever it was, it probably said Gemini was going to find out sooner or later. No one could have prevented it. It was just a matter of time. Please don't beat yourself up about it!"

Arnold found himself raising his voice at Professor Slughorn, who was so surprised that he cautiously placed the flask on the window ledge. He knew he was channeling all his anger at him, all the pressure and pain and heartbreak he had learned to keep inside now that he had to keep quiet about what happened when he saw Gemini in the Ministry. He knew it was wrong to put all that into Professor Slughorn, but the man was annoying. He kept putting the blame on himself, almost as if…as if…

And then he knew. "You cared about her, didn't you, professor?"

Tears began welling in his eyes. "Almost as much as you loved her. Maybe even more." He said, wiping at his eyes with his long robes. "Maybe, just maybe, I overlooked everything that should have been perfectly clear because I wanted to. She was alone in this world, just a sad little orphan when I met her. When I introduced her to the world of Magic, took her to Diagon Alley for her first trip, and taught her everything she could learn from me, she grew up to be akin to the daughter I never had. You think you're the only one saddened by the revelation of who she really is?"

For the first time, Arnold realized he wasn't alone in how he felt. He didn't know how his parents felt about Gemini anymore, but he assumed they no longer felt the same way about her. But if he was feeling horrible, Slughorn was just as bad. And unlike him, Slughorn didn't know he could visit Gemini and see what had happened to her. And to Arnold, that seemed a lot worse.

"I still love her, you know." Arnold said.

Slughorn looked at him in surprise. "You know who she is."

"And I know 'who she is' never affected her until she knew."

"If only the rest of the world could." Slughorn said bitterly before nursing the flask back in his hands.

Arnold looked at Professor Slughorn and knew that, despite what Harry told him and despite Slughorn's lack of sobriety, there's one person he could trust. Making sure the door was closed, Arnold stood up and leaned by the window ledge next to him. "Something's wrong with Gemini, and I need your help."

He told Professor Slughorn about what was really going on in the Ministry, how the Aurors were taking extra precautions on her and, while fighting back the tears, how Gemini had acted. Professor Slughorn listened intently, placing charms around the room to be sure no one would hear them.

"What are you saying?" Professor Slughorn asked hesitantly.

"I'm saying…I think Voldemort's back and he's somehow convinced Gemini to join his side. And I don't think that convincing was a soothing kind of persuasion."

"Voldemort's back?"

Arnold nodded. "I'm going to need your help. We've got to find a way to get Voldemort out of her head."

"How do you intend to do that? Suppose what you say isn't true and she isn't really far gone and is just playing you for some elaborate scheme to escape."

"Professor, I was this close to marrying her. I _know_ her, and she'd rather go head-on than play anyone just to get ahead." Arnold said with such sureness that Slughorn believed it to be true.

"Very well," Professor Slughorn said begrudgingly. "But that takes us to my first question: what on earth can we do to help her?"

"We have to find out what's making her like this. If she's the daughter of two Dark Wizards then I know there's some Dark Magic involved. You knew about Horcruxes, do you know any way Voldemort might be able to get into her head? Something so Dark that not many people know of it. I think it's so Dark that not even Harry Potter could have sensed it in his scar…"

"Unless Potter couldn't sense it anymore because he isn't a Horcrux—I've read about those ideas years ago somewhere." Professor Slughorn shrugged. "In any case, I don't know anything about that. I'll look into it, Longbottom. I suggest you do the same in the library—er, does the library have anything about Dark Arts? Good, good. But…er, assuming we do find the key to Gemini's connection with Voldemort, what then?"

"We tell my father, Harry Potter, basically the entire Order and Dumbledore's Army." Arnold answered. "If we can prove Voldemort _is_ in Gemini's head, they'll have to revive the organizations to get him out of there, right?"

Professor Slughorn nodded. "Alright. It's not the best plan, but it's a plan."

There was a bang on the door, and Neville barged in, looking upset. "Arnold, Slughorn, before you go downstairs, I think you should know what just came out of the paper…"

He flourished a copy of today's issue on the Daily Prophet at them. The first thing Arnold noticed was the picture of Gemini on the front cover. It wasn't one of the regular photos of her, the ones taken from her time in the Ministry and Malfoy Apothecary. It was a photo of her from Hogwarts, since he recognized the Great Hall behind her. It was the one taken on graduation day, when Gemini was awarded Student of the Year, and in the photograph she smiled smugly at him. It reminded him of that day, the first day he finally got to talk to her, the day he gave her Orion, the day he secretly knew that she was nicer than she liked people believe…

"I'm sure it's nothing." Professor Slughorn's tight voice woke Arnold from his daydream. He had been so sentimental looking at her photo that Slughorn had already finished reading the paper. He noticed the tension in his voice. "Besides, it's _Raymond Skeeter._ It's one miracle for him to be on the front page, it'll be another for the entire wizarding community to believe this filth."

That was when Arnold saw the headline, which was smaller than usual because of the short, bold line under it:

 **GEMINI BLACK: SINISTER OR SCHOOLGIRL SEDUCTRESS? (WHY NOT BOTH?)**

 **In an exclusive interview with** _ **Daily Prophet**_ **reporter Raymond Skeeter, Gemini reveals all: from daddy issues to her darling engagement to a Longbottom, even to her in-Hogwarts affair with the wayward werewolf, Teddy Lupin!**


	44. Two Girls

Chapter 4

She scanned to the near end of Raymond Skeeter's article.

 _ **But the most scandalous part of the interview was when asked about the alleged rumors regarding her attitude as a student in Hogwarts. Days after her arrest, rumors began surfacing that Gemini's attitude was similar to her parents', even going as far as being called "Queen of Slytherin," which, considering the circumstances of her birth, is quite ironic, this reporter thinks so.**_

" _ **Oh, that name? That was just a joke between my friends that got way out of hand!" Gemini says, denying those rumors. "I got nearly perfect O.W.L.s, you see—I remember the Daily Prophet writing about it, you can look it yourself—and the professors were so proud that they gave Slytherin fifty extra points at the start of sixth year. Cassio Zabini were casually dating at that time, and he was Captain of the Slytherin Quidditch Team, so my friend, Abigail [Flint], started saying how perfect my life was and how my life was "goals", though I think she forgot the fact that I lived in a Muggle orphanage. Anyway, I think she said it too many times that the others kept hearing it and thought it was supposed to mean I was like some alpha female or something and they went along with it. Really childish, actually. I don't claim to be the queen of anything.**_

" _ **In Muggle school social hierarchies, they have these girls called the "Queen Bees"," Gemini explains further. "They're called so because, like the queen bee of a beehive, they rule. I think that is what other Houses thought of when they heard the others call me that. But I'd just like to clarify that that isn't my role."**_

 _ **R: Possibly. Slytherins never really got along with the other Houses. But the queen thing isn't your role, is it?**_

 _ **G: No. I mean, Hogwarts is just like one big Muggle high school and we had our own roles to play, but I don't think mine was ever queen. You know, Abigail was that bubbly rich friend, Zoey was that jealous girlfriend who didn't let Nate talk to girls who weren't from our clique, Alexander Wood was that goody-goody boy, Teddy Lupin was the unfaithful boyfriend and—**_

 _ **This reporter interrupted.**_

 _ **R: Unfaithful boyfriend?**_

 _ **G: Yeah. Arnold said every guy in the Gryffindor male dorms knew about me and Teddy, didn't you know? I'm surprised, I actually thought it was an open secret already. You see, as the son of a werewolf, Teddy gets these wolfish tendencies, and apparently fidelity to his Veela—sorry, the 1/8 Veela— isn't one of them…**_

Victoire finished reading the paper, barely getting past how Gemini and Teddy used to meet often, the silver tears that seemed to dance down her pale face glistening. She looked across her, to Teddy, who looked guilty and uncomfortable as her parents stood nearby, looking tense.

"Vicky, I can explain…" Teddy said, trying to catch her eye. "I broke things off with her long ago."

"How long?" She asked icily.

"I—"

"ES TU STUPIDE?!" Victoire shrieked. "COMBIEN DE TEMPS AVEZ-VOUS ETE BAISE CETTE PUTE?"

Teddy merely looked at her. Victoire had to calm down because even her English wasn't understandable. Finally, he understood. "About…about two years." He cringed just saying it, now that he understood what it meant. Gemini was the cousin of his mother, which made her his cousin too. "But I swear, I broke things off with her a long time ago."

"How long?" She asked, viciously quiet.

"Well..." Teddy wanted to say he ended it before Gemini graduated Hogwarts, but there was something about the look on Victoire's face that made him hesitant to lie. "About five months ago. I decided I couldn't continue it with her anymore because I loved you too much to continue."

"But apparently not enough to stop after one tryst." She said bitterly. She looked at him with such loathing. "Get out."

"Vick—"

" _SORTEZ!"_

She watched Teddy mumble a pathetic apology before nodding curtly to her parents and disapparating. Her father moved forward to approach her, but Victoire brushed him aside and ran to her room. Locking the door behind her before leaping onto her bed.

Victoire screamed into her pillow. _Did mummy ever have this problem with daddy? Did daddy ever have those urges Gemini said?_ It hurt even more when she knew that part of her still loved Teddy. She was not a stranger to cheaters: it happened to a few of her friends, some of her pretty Veela cousins who couldn't keep their influence in men too long. As an eighth-Veela, she supposedly should have that power too, at least some part of it. So why would Teddy hurt her this way, especially when he loved her too?

She knew what she had to do.

~0~

Gemini scanned the newspaper. She couldn't react the way she wanted to because there was an Auror guarding her in front of her cell. It was the Auror Briggs, who didn't trust her that much and kept a close eye on her, compared to the others.

As the uncle of Victoire Weasley and the godfather of Teddy Lupin, Harry did not know how to react to that news. On one hand, Gemini was older than Teddy and should have known better than to fool around with him, but on the other hand Teddy had the free will to choose not to cheat on Victoire, so the whole blame couldn't be put on Gemini, who was just a student who was too young to care about the consequences.. He remained polite with Gemini, making no mention of what she said about him.

Gemini knew what she had to do now, and the newspaper interview was the last part of her plan, now all she had to do was wait. She raised the paper so the Auror wouldn't see her before smiling.

She slowly put the paper down when she heard the boundary breaking. It was one of the Aurors whose names she didn't know.

"You have a visitor." He said coolly. "I'm to take you to the visiting area."

She was interviewed in the visiting area. Because she wasn't "pretending" to be a threat— _or so Harry thought—_ she wasn't confined to her cell during visits anymore and was instead guarded in a small room where she could interact with visitors. She felt a punch in her stomach and she hoped it wasn't Arnold. That was the only possible flaw in her plan.

 _Please don't let it be Arnold. I'll have to act insane again if he's here, and Harry sure as hell won't trust me if he sees me act that way. My plans will be ruined if he's here._ "Oh." She said indifferently. "Who is it?"

The Auror sighed. "Victoire Weasley."

"Yikes." Gemini gritted her teeth. "Do I _have_ to get out?"

"Not if you don't want to."

Gemini pursed her lips, looking guilty. "Well, I put her in this mess. I guess I should at least explain."

She got up and headed out the cell. Her legs were stiff from staying in the same cell for more than a day now. She was headed for Azkaban tomorrow morning, though, so she was grateful parts of her plan included her walking her stiffness off. _All according to plan,_ she thought hopefully as she climbed the stairs to meet Victoire.


	45. Black and Weasley

Chapter 5

For Auror Marius Prince, sitting in between the two girls was like looking at two adjacent, totally different worlds.

On one hand, there was Victoire Weasley, member of the large, ever-growing Weasley family, who replaced the Black family as the largest wizarding family that was related to most of the wizarding families in Britain. And then there was Gemini Black, the last of the pureblood Black family, daughter of a match that would have made her ancestors proud. Their appearances, plus the way the two girls eyed each other with wariness, matched the families the two represented. Victoire had silvery blonde hair and blue eyes but had the Weasley look, similar to her Aunt Ginny, and she looked like the sun-kissed, next door neighbor one would enjoy looking at and comparing to a delicate flower. Gemini had the aristocratic Black looks: pale skin, black hair, dark eyes, and she was beautiful in a mesmerizing way that you knew she was trouble but you'd help her either way.

Two different worlds, fighting over one guy. Auror Prince got his wand out in case it turned ugly.

"I'm guessing you're not here for the delight of my company." Gemini said dryly, breaking the silence.

"No, I'm here because you claim that you slept with my boyfriend. And on many occasions." Victoire said coldly. "You _knew_ I was dating him, right?"

"I did."

"And you thought it was okay to cheat with him?"

"I thought it was okay to _fuck_ with him. _He_ thought it was okay to cheat on you." Gemini shrugged. This seemed to be too much for Victoire who stood up abruptly and leaned towards Gemini. She caught herself just in time, noticing the Auror on the side drawing his wand out, and sat back down. Uncle Harry barely allowed her to visit; one false move and she'd be out of the ministry before she gave Gemini a piece of her mind.

Gemini cleared her throat. "Look, I knew you and Teddy were a thing. Did it affect our relationship? No. Did I care? No. At first I thought you and Teddy were slowly ending it and he was just trying to move on."

"And when you saw we weren't?"

"Then I knew Teddy wasn't totally happy with monogamy. Or maybe it's just you."

Victoire scoffed. "How evil do you have to be to steal someone else's man?"

Gemini thought for a second. "If we're being honest here, you don't have to be evil. Just indifferent. I'm not the one who decided to cheat on you, anyway."

She noticed Victoire's hands clench and she knew she had to act, and fast. "Look, Vic. I didn't mean to go public with it. After I told Raymond Skeeter about that cheating boyfriend bit, I knew he was going to come up with something elaborate, so I just had to tell him the truth. You're welcome, by the way."

Victoire let out a bitter laugh. _Is this girl for real?_ Gemini saw that Victoire was merely staring at her, before she continued. "I don't even know why you're here when you should be confronting Teddy."

"I already did." Victoire replied tightly.

Gemini raised an eyebrow. "You did? Then why are you even here? I may be the other woman, but don't objectify Teddy to think that I _stole_ him from you. He had a choice. I didn't care if he stayed with you. _He_ decided to keep mum about it on his own. What we had was fun and I was okay with that, and so was he."

For the next half-hour, Victoire tried to get Gemini to feel remotely sorry for what she had done. After thirty minutes, it was obvious that there was no way of doing so. Victoire narrowed her eyes. "You know, there's a special place in hell for women like you."

"Well when you're Voldemort's daughter it's pretty obvious the devil's polishing my throne as we speak."

Victoire scoffed. Gemini's hair was flat and slightly greasy and her hands were in cuffs. She was also two years older than Victoire, and looked like she was on the precipice of inheriting the dark circles on her mother's eyes. Victoire's grandmother taught her to dress like she was off to face her enemy, and she had dressed to immaculate perfection. Yet somehow, Gemini's cool, devil-may-care attitude made Victoire feel inferior. It made her feel even horrible that Gemini wasn't even the least bit remorseful that she destroyed a relationship.

An idea came to her head. "What would Arnold think?" She said quietly.

A microscopic part of Gemini's heart felt a dull sting at the mention of his name. If she wasn't a Black and a Slytherin, she knew that thump would hurt even more. But it didn't, and she merely shrugged. "Arnold told me him and the other older boys of the Gryffindor common room knew. Told me even before we first kissed. Teddy was practically screaming it in the boys' dormitory tower. Either the boys there were pretty much like brothers that it was their best-kept secret, or you're just so fucking thick that you didn't see it." Gemini giggled. "I mean, really now, Teddy told me the excuses he made just to sneak off with me. In my opinion, I thought they were so stupid that I thought that surely you must have known."

She spoke with a deep, guttural voice similar to Teddy's. " _Sorry love, detention with Filch by feeding the giant squid. Can't hang out tonight, Vicky, Madame Pomfrey's doing a test to see if I'm not sprouting werewolf ears. Professor Flitwick needs me to register for Metamorphmagus papers—_ " Gemini breaks off laughing. "Seriously? Don't tell me you believed all them?"

Victoire turned a shade of red. "Obviously Arnold Longbottom has low standards if he settled for a tart like you."

The two of them heard a warning from the Auror, who moved his chair closer. Neither of the two removed eye contact. Gemini smiled tightly, her eyes blazing, not showing any sign of backing down. Finally, she broke her silence and laughed.

"Oh, sorry." Gemini said when she noticed Victoire's bewildered expression. "It's just…I finally get it!"

"Get what?"

"Why Teddy cheated on you." Gemini said sweetly. "It's quite obvious, isn't it? You think you're just some entitled little princess because of the family you were born to. You're Bill Weasley's kid, second of the Order's next generation of kids after Teddy. You're practically related to every family, making you the biggest, most-connected family in the wizarding world…that is, until everyone found out there was one more Black. You thought being a Weasley made you so special; put some dye on your hair and study a bit more about blood purity and you can pass off as a Black, really. You, princess, think that being a Weasley means everyone has to be nice to you and treat you like something to be put on a pedestal. There's a word for girls like you. What was it again? Oh right: _easy._

"Easy enough for Teddy, at least. He's an orphan, and you're the closest Weasley that's his ticket to becoming a part of the family. Add it all together and it makes perfect sense. He'll be related to nearly everyone in the Order if he married you, you, the eldest Weasley. You think it's love? If he cheats on you, it's probably not. It's very obvious, do I still need to say it?" Gemini looked at Victoire's fists, which were clenched and shaking on the table. "He's only with you because of your family, not you."

"You…you bitch." Victoire said, quietly angry.

Gemini turned to the Auror, awkwardly looking away from a messy girl stand-off. "I have a point, don't I? It's pretty obvious isn't—"

Gemini didn't get to finish as Victoire screamed as she leaped over the table and reached for Gemini's throat. Victoire was screaming obscenities in a flurry of rapid English and French as she shook at Gemini's neck. Gemini let out a hoarse scream before raising her cuffed hands, hitting Victoire's face with the chain, and reaching out to pull at Victoire's hair, yanking large clumps by the roots. Victoire screamed in pain, but she did not relent as she took a swing at Gemini's face.

In the ensuing catfight, Auror Prince pulled out his wand helplessly. He saw a bit of blood on Victoire's blonde head and knew he had to do something. He was only there in case Gemini tried to escape, but it was Victoire Weasley who had initiated this ruckus. Hell, in his opinion, Victoire was asking for a fight by demanding for a meeting. He knew if he cast a body-bind curse on Gemini, Victoire would viciously attack. He wondered if he should stun them both. Was he really supposed to body-bind Harry Potter's niece?

Luckily, Harry Potter entered at the sound of their fighting. He pulled Victoire off of Gemini, holding her back as Auror Prince held Gemini back. Victoire was trying to break free of her uncle's grasps, but Gemini started calming down as soon as the Auror helped her up, though she wasn't helping Victoire do the same by taunting her with the clumps of hair that remained on her hands.

"What happened, Marius?" Harry asked. Auror Prince explained. "I see…well…"

He had no idea what to do. On one hand, Victoire practically twisted his arm for this meeting, and he allowed her on the condition that she didn't do anything out of line. Obviously, expecting that from his wayward niece was a bad move, and he would be telling Bill and Fleur of her behavior. But on the other hand, he still did not condone Gemini's affair with Teddy. Teddy may have been the one who ultimately chose to cheat on Victoire, but Gemini's indifference to their relationship wasn't something Harry could overlook. But then again, there were bloody scratches and slight bruises on her face, and Harry knew he was responsible for those by allowing Victoire to meet her. _Why couldn't relationships be as simple as it was when I was in Hogwarts?_

"Marius, make sure Gemini's fine before taking her back to her cell." Harry said, placing a firm grip on Victoire's arm that made her reluctantly stop squirming. "I'll deal with my niece."

"I'm fine, Harry." Gemini said. Harry shot her a dubious look. "I can just wash off the blood. Trust me, she didn't do _anything_ severe."

Victoire shot her a glowering look. Harry pulled her back a step away from the door. "Very well, Gemini. Marius."

"Right away, sir." Marius nodded. He motioned at the door and Gemini walked towards it.

"Bye, Vicky." Gemini said in a casual tone that made Victoire thrash again.

Harry waited for two minutes before he could even think about letting Victoire go up to get checked at the infirmary.

He sighed in tiredness. Tomorrow was the day he and two others would be transporting Gemini to Azkaban. She had been very cooperative since her suicide attempt—apart from that slip with Raymond Skeeter—but she was nonetheless cooperative enough to understand why she had to be kept in Azkaban. The logistics were tiresome, and the transport was finally fixed for tight security, though Harry thought it useless since Gemini wasn't really a threat.


	46. Part of the Plan

Chapter 6

She waited until late at night. She wasn't seen as a threat, so there were no more guards posted outside her cell. She also complained about the lights keeping her awake, so it was dim around her. It was fine. She was used to the dark.

As quietly as she could, she snuck out of bed. She reached for her pillow, pulling out the clumps of Victoire's hair. She was thankful the Auror was too awkward to mention it as it stayed on her hands throughout the walk back to her cell. She separated the hairs, keeping the ones with Victoire's scalp. By the time she was done, she had a dozen perfectly pulled strands of Victoire's hair.

Her plan was successful, but this part now was all based on assumptions, unsubstantiated assumptions that, if wrong, would destroy Gemini's plan. _Veela hair,_ Gemini thought, holding the silvery blonde hair in front of her, which seemed to give off a faint light in the room. Careful not to break any strand, she started twisting the hairs, forming what looked like a thin, white, twisted rope. _Said to be very temperamental. Hope a dozen of one-eighth Veela hair works just as well._

Her whole idea was based on the wandlore elective she took but ultimately dropped in her third year. Wandlore was a relatively new elective offered at Hogwarts, though not the most popular. Because of complications, it was the only elective that still had enough slots for her and her friends. They didn't pay particular attention to it, but Gemini remembered just enough to hope that her improvised plan would work.

When she was done twisting the hair, she pulled the stick of wood out of its hiding spot. Placing the wood on her bed, she then placed the hair in the middle before snapping the curve of the wood so the hair was at the center. Finally, the final part. _And hopefully the last time I ever bleed in this stupid plan,_ Gemini thought wryly as she brought the sharp, broken end of the wand to her finger before slicing a small part open. Her finger began to bleed, and Gemini quickly spread the blood along the opening of her makeshift wand. Her blood would serve three purposes: first, she learned in Hogwarts that early medieval wands used blood to seal the ends together; second, if Victoire's hair was just as inferior as Victoire was, Gemini was banking on the theory that the blood of Salazar Slytherin's descendant would compensate for it; and third, she knew the dangers of handling an unstable wand in her dangerous plan, and the risk would lessen significantly if the wand chose her, seeing as it was her blood that sealed it.

As soon as the makeshift wand gave a fizzing flow, Gemini felt like she could breathe again. There were sparks coming out of the broken end of the wand at random intervals, but it slowly died down. When Gemini saw it was over, she held it with one hand. " _Lumos,"_ she whispered.

The wand let off a light at the tip, but it was off by a few centimeters to the left and the light was unstable. A bit of sparks shot out, but it died after a few seconds. She turned off the light quickly, and a few sparks came out again. _It's not perfect,_ Gemini thought. _But it works. That's what matters._

She raised her left arm and slid the wand on the side of her bra. Harry was relaxed enough, so she was now banking on two last things for her plan to work. She checked her mirror, satisfied when she saw that her prison uniform was covering the wand well. Taking a deep breath, she went back to bed, clearing her head and trying to remain calm for tomorrow.

 _Everything's going according to plan,_ she thought. _It has to go perfect tomorrow. Everything. It's all over if I reach Azkaban. If it all works out, we'll never make it near Azkaban. If it doesn't…there's no way I can escape from there._


	47. Discoveries and Deceptions

Chapter 7

Arnold dropped the book in exasperation. Like the other books he had gone through in the Dark Arts section, there was nothing he could possibly learn more about what was happening to Gemini.

 _There's got to be something,_ he thought desperately, reaching for the much older books in the library, some so old and long untouched that the spiders who had built their dwellings on the books edges were dead as well. _It's not a Horcrux, but it's something close. Something less darker, possibly, if that lapse could have happened…_

The only thing he was certain about was that she wasn't a Horcrux like Harry Potter. Based on a book dedicated to analyzing the rare cases of human Horcruxes, there would have been something to prove that she was one long ago. Human Horcruxes would have inherited a trait of the maker's blood, such as Harry Potter's ability to speak Parseltongue. At one point, he thought she was a Horcrux based on her ability to turn her eyes red, but he read in a book about Salazar Slytherin's descendants that Slytherin had a son who could do the same. Plus, based on what Voldemort was seen doing during the end of the war, it was unlikely that he had the time or the soul left to turn his daughter into a final Horcrux.

But so far, there were no books that could explain what it was. Arnold looked out the stained glass window, surprised that he had spent the whole night in the library. He knew that today was the day Gemini would be transported to Azkaban, and he felt guilty and utterly disappointed in himself since he knew he had nothing to stop the transportation. The thought of Gemini, the Gemini he remembered, locked up in a place like Azkaban—even still a stuff of horrors with the remains of Dementors around the place—horrified him. _But then again,_ he thought tiredly, _she's not the same Gemini anymore, is she?_

He picked up another book, determined to find the truth.

~0~

There was more to Buckingham Palace than meets the eye. A block away from the palace was an old, faded-looking phone booth that no one seemed to notice. To the Muggles, no one seemed to be bothered by it, but to the high executives of the Ministry of Magic, it was the first of several security measures. After entering a long code and going down hundreds of feet below the surface, there were codes to pass, charms to cast, and magical creatures to get past. If you could get past all those, you would eventually find yourself in the Restricted Cavern, home to objects the Ministry thought to be necessary to either keep or hide from the rest of the world. It was part of the Ministry of Magic's offices, but only a few high executives knew of its existence.

One of these executives was Hermione Granger.

She was at the lowest level of the Restricted Cavern, in the Dark Artefacts cave at the bottommost part. In the cave was artefacts of the darkest wizards and witches, simple trinkets with curses so powerful that looking directly at it could kill (hence they were kept in thick, opaque casings with descriptions), and books with ancient dark magic that the Ministry quietly banned for public knowledge.

Hermione, wrapped in an enchanted suit to ward off any lingering effects of being in the same room as hundreds of Dark Artefacts, grabbed the book she needed to find before heading back out to the small chamber outside for reading. The book was not cursed, but was filled with old Dark Magic spells, its existence long-forgotten.

The moment the Auror Office finally finished the memory archives of Gemini Black's stay in the Ministry, Hermione knew something was wrong. She knew Gemini well enough, and despite everything said about her, her lashing out during the interrogation was something Hermione knew Gemini would never have done. She was a Slytherin, yes, and it was more common for pureblood supremacists to be in Slytherin, but only a day before that interrogation, Gemini believed she wasn't a pureblood, so her natural instinct even under Veritaserum wouldn't have led her to call Hermione a Mudblood. Unfortunately, none of the other Wizengamots and Aurors saw it that way.

She couldn't put a finger on it, but she had a gut feeling that something bad was going to happen, and there was something wrong with Gemini, and despite Harry's assurance that everything was going smoothly, she felt like there was something unsafe about Gemini's transportation to Azkaban because there was something none of them understood.

It took her almost an hour of scanning the ancient book before she found it. As soon as she read the first paragraph, she knew that was what she was looking for. She checked her watch; it showed 8:28 in the morning.

The Aurors were transporting her at 8:30.

 _She's more dangerous than we thought. I have to stop them before it's too late._

~0~

Gemini wanted to scream. She wanted to start clawing at Harry and the three other Aurors, now that they have ruined her plan. Now that her father had taught her proper Legilimency, a Body Bind Curse would have been easy to dispel. The plan was to break from the curse in the middle of the North Sea before they reached Azkaban and then use her makeshift wand to escape. But as Harry tied her hands behind her back, strapped to his broom with enchanted ropes, she knew that was impossible.

The insanity was creeping back up, but she struggled to keep it in. She was still in it, and still trying to escape. She couldn't blow her cover just yet.

Harry noticed her squirming. "All set?" He asked.

"Just uncomfortable with the ropes." Gemini said, motioning at the ropes. "This won't take long, will it?"

"It's just a half-hour ride, twenty minutes if the wind's not against us." Harry promised. He turned to the other Aurors. "Let's not keep this long. Are you three ready?"

They were at a large underground place which looked like the bottom of a large well. Above them was a narrow opening opened only a few minutes ago. The three Aurors nodded. "Right. Alex?"

The Auror holding a bag with the belongings in Gemini's possession when she was arrested nodded, the bag of her things strapped behind his broom. Harry mounted his broom, Gemini sitting behind him, and a few seconds later all of them shot out of the hole and into the morning sky.

Harry's Firebolt sped slightly ahead of the other three, two on either sides and one directly in front of them. Gemini was safely secured behind Harry's broom, the rope unrelenting no matter how much she tugged at it.

Within a few minutes, they were flying over the North Sea, and Gemini knew that she had to find a way out, and fast. Her cuts on her wrists weren't fully healed and her skin remained a pinkish tint. She tried sliding the ropes across the broom, but the knots were too tight for her to move it more than a few inches. The wand she made was still hidden at the side of her bra just under her arm, since Harry trusted her enough and didn't try to search her, but unless she could get her hands out, the wand was utterly pointless.

"You still fine back there?" Harry shouted, the wind loud in their ears.

"Yes!" Gemini shouted back, keeping her hands still as she saw the Auror named Alex on their right look in their direction.

 _It's no use!_ Gemini thought frustratedly. _The ropes are enchanted. How the fuck am I getting out now?_

She knew the only way she could escape in the North Sea now was if she used her legs to knock Harry off the broom and fly back to England. But she knew there was practically no chance of making it out alive with three other Aurors. And even if she could swing her legs enough to kick at Harry, there were too many possible problems: she could fall off the broom and be hanging on her wrists, Harry would defend himself, or, assuming she did manage to knock Harry off and take control of the broom, the Aurors would be legally permitted to use the Killing Curse if she tried to escape, and Aurors aren't known for being bad at aiming.

She felt the dread creep up to her throat knowing that she was heading closer to Azkaban. _It's all over,_ she thought dejectedly. _I can't get out once I'm locked up._ She hated to think what her father would do if the next time she fell asleep would be in her cell in Azkaban. She wouldn't last a day in prison if she failed him.

But then a thought came into her head. _I'm not going to be immediately locked up in Azkaban, aren't I?_ She thought hopefully. _We've got to land on the island first. And maybe, just maybe, that's all the time I'll need._

Her mind was working faster than ever, her plan more crucial and more precise down to the last split second. She knew the consequences, but she knew they were better than the consequences she would have to face if she disappointed her father. _It's now or never._

"Harry! How much longer? These ropes are starting to hurt my wrists!" Gemini yelled.

"Not far now!" Harry replied. "You can just make it out at the horizon!"

And sure enough, Gemini saw it. It was a faint, black behemoth of a tower that was so far that Gemini took a few seconds to see it. She muttered a brief prayer under her breath, her arms tensing as they zoomed closer to the island.

They flew the rest of the way in silence until Azkaban was finally underneath them. _If I don't escape, I'll either be dead or locked up in that tower. So pretty much, I'll be dead either way._ Gemini thought grimly as Harry began to descend. And w _hat do the dead have to lose?_

They landed on the wooden pier at the edge of the island, where the brooms were locked up and guarded by one Auror. Gemini noticed the look of relief in the Aurors' faces. _Did they expect me to try to escape back there?_ She wondered what would have happened if she tried.

"Aagh!" Gemini's legs buckled, and Harry had to grip at the tip of the broom to stop her from falling off.

"What's wrong?" One Auror asked.

"My legs are kinda shaky from the flight." Gemini muttered as she tried to sit up, but stumbled again. One Auror helped her up, and she put most of her weight on him by leaning to the right. "Do you mind taking a break for a few minutes?"

Harry nodded at the Aurors. "I'll take it from here. You guys take care of the rest of the brooms."

He proceeded to place the tip of the broom on a rack that kept it horizontal and stable so Gemini could mount the broom without his help, since he was busy disenchanting the ropes keeping her tied to the broom. "We've taken care of the Dementor residue as much as we could before you arrived. I'm afraid it's not completely gone, so you might feel quite uncomfortable while you're here, but not so much that you'll go insane." He said apologetically. "Rest assured your case at the Ministry's top priority, so you'll be going back there in a week, tops."

Gemini sighed, scratching at her wrists the moment they were free. She noticed the look on Harry's face when she started scratching and smiled. "Don't worry, it's just itchy." She looked grimly at the tower. She looked to the side and saw the Aurors placing their brooms inside the locked case. "Who knows? Maybe being Voldemort's kid makes me immune to Dementor magic. I didn't really feel anything when we visited Rodolphus Lestrange before."

"I hope so. I'll make sure you're alright here."

Gemini saw an Auror close the case, the click of the lock sounding like an alarm telling her to strike. _Do it,_ a little voice in her head screamed. _Do it now._ "That's very nice of you, Harry," she said quietly, discreetly pulling her wand from her sleeve. "Unfortunately, that won't be necessary. _Fera Incendio!"_

A long stream of fire and sparks shot out of Gemini's wand and onto the case of brooms, and the fire morphed grotesquely into what looked like a gargoyle wrapping his arms and legs around the case before consuming it whole. " _Fera includexa!"_ Gemini shouted, and the fire stopped. She wasted no time and pointed at the four Aurors who were caught off guard. " _Stupefy!"_

The wand let out an abnormally large spark of green light, one Gemini was grateful for as it hit all the Aurors. Harry, who took too slow to draw his wand out, pointed his wand at her, but she kicked him in the shin and pushed him to the ground, kicking him in the chest for good measure. Quickly, Gemini got back on Harry's Firebolt and sped away.

Gemini never owned a broom of her own, and the only time she did ride one was while playing Quidditch with her friends, so controlling Harry's broom, one of the fastest brooms in the market, was harder than she thought. She had to circle twice around the island, trying to get a grip at how fast the broom was, before she could direct the broom back the direction they came from. As she turned around, she saw Harry mounting onto one of the brooms far away from the case, and she tried going faster, but her hands were still cramped and she did not want to risk falling off her broom.

With Harry a skilled Quidditch player in a decent broom and Gemini a basic rider in a broom she couldn't handle, Harry began to catch up and was flying behind her just almost a mile apart.

"GEMINI BLACK!" Harry shouted from behind. "SLOW DOWN OR I WILL BE FORCED TO USE ANY CURSE NECESSARY TO STOP YOU!"

Gemini turned to him and laughed cruelly. "YOU SHOULD HAVE USED ANY CURSE NECESSARY TO KILL ME WHEN YOU HAD A CHANCE!"

The shocked look on Harry's face told Gemini that he knew the truth, that she really was the threat he once thought she was. It was priceless, but she also knew there was no going back now. "THIS IS YOUR FINAL WAR—"

" _STUPEFY!_ " Gemini shrieked. The green spell missed Harry when he skillfully darted to the side.

"IF YOU'RE A THREAT, I _CAN_ USE UNFORGIVABLES TO TAKE YOU DOWN!" Harry warned her. "INCLUDING THE KILLING CURSE!"

"OH YEAH?" Gemini taunted. "WELL SO CAN I! _CRUICIO!_ "

The spell again missed, this time by a few inches to Harry's right.

Harry looked furiously at her, but then drew his own wand out. " _STUPEFY!_ "

Gemini muttered a counter-curse that blocked the spell. She knew she had to use non-verbal curses to get the upper-hand, but that was advanced magic and she didn't want to risk it with a makeshift wand. They continued to duel in the sky, neither of them relenting. Gemini could tell Harry was struggling not to use the Killing Curse on her, and she knew she had to use that to her advantage. She tried speeding on, but Harry was slowly closing the gap between them. And slowly, Gemini could feel the wand begin to heat up in her hands, and she had a feeling that wasn't good.

She swerved to the left to dodge Harry's Stunning Spell, and that was when she saw it. All she needed was a split second for Harry to falter, and that's when she saw her opening. Harry must have expected her to go the other way, because she saw his hands twitch in hesitation. In the excitement off the chase and her mind focused on that moment and her worries at the wand beginning to heat up, Gemini said the first spell that came into her mind: the spell Harry should have used to make her escape a lot earlier.

" _Petrificus Totalus!"_ Gemini shouted as loud as she could. She didn't get to see where the spell hit because she felt a burning sensation on her hand as the wand heated up, and when she looked at her wand, it was now continuously smoking and sparking. She loosened her grip on the wand, and that was when it exploded in a cloud of smoke. The explosion only hurt like a slap on the wrist, but the force of it was enough to knock her off-balance and off the broom. As she fell, the last thing she saw mid-air was Harry Potter, falling down with her, sinking as he plunged into the cold North Sea. He was not moving.


	48. First Casualty

Chapter 8

Harry could feel his lungs burning. He couldn't move his hands but he could feel the cold water as it stung and froze him. Though he could not move his body, he could still control his breathing, but as the sunlight began to disappear from his view, the salty sea water burning his frozen open eyes, he found it harder to keep his breath until finally his body overpowered his mind and he inhaled the water. The pain of drowning in the North Sea was too much for him and his vision began to black out.

~0~

Falling into the sea was a painful experience, but the high waves of the sea pillowed her fall and Gemini was glad to be alive. She swum up and gasped for air, treading to keep afloat.

 _Where's Harry?_ She thought. And then she saw him, his body slowly sinking down just a few yards away from her. She swam towards him before swimming downwards. Her head was throbbing from the fall and her nose felt pinched as she swam lower, and as her fingertips reached Harry's, she heard the raspy voice she dreaded to hear.

 _Don't save him!_ The voice whispered in her ear. _Leave him. Kill him. You can't save him without risking death._ Gemini hesitated, but when she looked into Harry's frantic-looking eyes, she stubbornly grabbed his hand and swam upwards, grabbing the Firebolt as she rose up to the surface.

The flight back to Azkaban was difficult, with Harry frozen with his hands in front of him, but Gemini managed to drop him back at the pier. The adrenaline of the chase and almost dying made her less hesitant to fly the Firebolt faster, and she made it back quicker. The other Aurors were still unconscious, and Gemini dropped Harry next to the others. The Enchanted Fire Spell she casted was still burning the little remains of the broom case, struggling to burn one particular broom. Gemini kneeled next to Harry's body, checking to see if he was still alive. After using CPR, Gemini could feel Harry's heartbeat and saw his eyes staring at her.

"Don't think I saved your life for you." Gemini said coldly. She grabbed the bag next to the Auror who kept her belongings, opened it, and saw her clothes, her necklace, and her wand. "You'll be looking for me once you can move, that's given, but imagine how different the manhunt would be if I killed an Auror—and Harry Potter, the Boy Who Lived, at that."

She took the Firebolt in one hand, the bag in another. "I hope you don't mind if I borrow this." He remained frozen. "Well, okay then."

She turned to leave, but she heard a sound coming from the tower and realized there was one more thing she had to do. She took the broom to the top of the tower and went one level down until she found his cell. "So you were right." She told him.

Rodolphus Lestrange looked at her. There were only a handful of Aurors he could remember who passed by his cell, so he remembered the girl about a month ago who had interviewed him. But she looked slightly different now. With dark circles around her eyes, her curly black hair not tied into a ponytail, and in Azkaban uniforms, she almost looked like Bellatrix, but there was something about her appearance that didn't strike him as—

And then he knew. "Gemini Black." He breathed. In response, Gemini extended her hand past the barrier. Rodolphus hastily took her hand and she pulled him out. "What are the odds, eh? Where are the Aurors?"

"Indisposed. No time for pleasantries, _step-father,_ " Gemini said curtly. "What do you know about my father and the prophecy?"

As though he wasn't insane the last time she saw him, Rodolphus stood up straight as befitting a Lestrange meeting the Slytherin heiress. He spoke with an urgent but clear voice. "The prophecy states that you will bring back—"

"Yes, yes, I know." Gemini said impatiently. "I've…I've been told what the prophecy is. What I want to know is: how am I supposed to do it? And what does it mean by ' _the Heir shall fall'?_ "

Rodolphus paused for a moment. "Bellatrix said not all prophecies are for certain, which is why she once thought your prophecy wouldn't come true because another prophecy, a less-known one the Dark Lord stole in the Department of Mysteries, said the Dark Lord would win the Battle of Hogwarts. I figured out this: prophecies tend to be false when something is changed, something changed so unexpectedly that the odds tend to shift. Do you recall when Potter survived the Killing Curse? I think that was why he lost."

"So to prevent that part of the prophecy, in order not to let my father truly back to life once more, I have to do something _unexpected_?" Gemini asked, confused.

"Yes. Something so powerful and unexpected to bring him back to life that no Seer could have foreseen your actions."

Gemini was at a standstill. "And just how am I supposed to do that?"

As if in response, she heard shouting from outside before a loud crash at the bottom of the tower. _The Aurors!_ "We have to go, Rodolphus." She grabbed the sleeve of his uniform and led him to the staircase to the top of the tower, but he yanked her away. "You can tell me how to do it later, but now we have to go!"

"What, in a broom?" He scoffed. "Don't think they're confounded enough that they can't hit you with a spell. And with both of us trying to escape, they could start using Killing Curses."

"I've got a Firebolt!" Gemini said urgently. "But we've got to leave before they get up here!"

He shook his head. "Too dangerous. And besides," he took a deep breath, "I'm not the one the prophecy is about. You're the priority, you're the one that has to get out of this place. My wife died for this cause, my brother died as well, and I don't intend to die of old age in this tower. When you bring back your father and restore the purebloods to their rightful place, then your father will know that the Lestrange family's loyalty to his family is unwavering. You must go alone; I will stay here and divert those damned Aurors."

Gemini knew the good thing to do was to pull him with her and tell him they could make it out together, but she knew he was right. She could hear the footsteps getting louder. "What do I do?"

But Rodolphus was already pushing her to the stairs. "Hurry!" He shouted at her, though it was evident that he was thinking, and at the heat of the moment, the madness was taking over. "Something unexpected…something…the dead…"

Gemini started up the stairs. She looked down and saw Rodolphus tipping over a rickety table and breaking off one of its thin legs. He turned back to her. "Three things…your father's body—at Hogwarts…that stone—that's at Hogwarts too. And…and…the third thing." He said unsurely. "I can't remember what the third thing is."

The footsteps sounded dangerously close. Gemini knew that, wandless, Rodolphus could only keep them distracted for a few seconds. "Just tell me where to find it and I'll work it out myself— _Colloportus!_ "

The door locked, though Gemini knew it was only a second's worth of time bought. Rodolphus stood in front of the door, the blunt end of the leg aimed like a baseball bat. It was obvious that Rodolphus had forgotten what he was going to say, like the years imprisoned had finally made his memory faulty, and he was struggling to remember. _Now's not the time for this!_ "TELL ME, LESTRANGE!"

There was a bang at the door. "THE WORST BLOOD TRAITOR IN YOUR FAMILY!" He shouted.

Gemini had no idea what he meant, but she ran up the remaining steps and out the door. She heard the Lestrange's yelling mixed with the sound of a blunt hit followed by a man's voice shouting the Killing Curse. Lestrange stopped screaming, but Gemini didn't look back as she grabbed the broom and flew away from the island before anyone could do the same to her.


	49. Detour

Chapter 9

Gemini landed just as the sun was starting to go down. It was a long day, and it took a long time for Gemini to find land, and throughout the day she had stopped by Scotland, West Yorkshire, Rutland, Cambridgeshire, until finally she recognized London and made her way to Berkshire.

She was exhausted, starving, cold, and feeling very vulnerable out in public. She knew she would have to be travelling for the next few days, and if she was feeling horrible now, she knew the next few days would be worse. Because as long as the Auror Office had that map that could track Dark Wizards, she knew she would always have to be on the run. She picked up a tourist book covering the entire Great Britain somewhere in Rutland, and she had a list of forests she could hide in for the time being, until she knew she wouldn't be detected by the map. She hoped that her new, stronger connection with her father wouldn't be detected and jeopardize her.

She dumped the broom to one side of the house, careful not to be seen by the kids playing on the street. She would come back for the broom in a few minutes, as she was too tired to apparate just yet. She waited for them to wander farther off before she edged to the front of the house, the house that was but a faded memory of her former self, someone whose large goals consisted of buying a stupid house with her fiancé. The house they rented in Berkshire was the last place she wanted to go to, but if she was going to hide out for a few days, she might as well get some of her stuff with her.

Gemini muttered a quiet unlocking spell. She saw the furniture that came with the house was there, but the pieces she and Arnold promised to move around were still in its original place. _I am going to be so pissed if Arnold cancelled our rent and my stuff is at the bottom of some dumpsite,_ she thought as she entered, quickly closing the door behind her. _Going this down south just to see my stuff isn't here anymore._

She climbed the stairs and turned left, at the master bedroom that should have been hers and Arnold's. The room was still as is, with the bed made and the rest of the furniture where she remembered it. The only difference was the emptied boxes and bags on one corner.

With the dimming sunlight providing ample light for her to see, Gemini picked up the biggest duffel bag on the floor and threw it on the bed. She opened the closet on the side and the first thing she noticed was her white lab coat hanging. She rolled her eyes. _This was supposed to go to the lab room down the hall. Fucking movers can't get it right._ She slid her coat to the left and collected the clothes she would bring. She selected simple t-shirts and sweaters, taking them off their hangers before unceremoniously stuffing them into the bag. It was October, and winter was just weeks away, so she was looking for warm clothing that wasn't hard to move in. She turned to the folded clothes at the lower part of the closet, taking pants, leggings, and sets of clean underwear. She used an Undetectable Extension Charm and stuffed in some blankets and basic medicines she kept in her lab room. Finally, just when she thought she had everything she needed, she realized she forgot to bring a jacket. She found a thick one in the closet and pulled it out.

At first, she didn't recognize it, but then it slowly came to her. _This isn't my jacket, this is Arnold's,_ she thought. She scowled at the closet. _Fucking movers—wait. Since when did movers take out clothes and put them neatly in closets?_

She placed the jacket on the bed before opening the other door of the closet. Half of these clothes weren't hers.

 _Arnold's stuff is still here,_ Gemini gasped, taking a step back. _That means…_

"Hi, Gemini."

She nearly jumped at the sight of him standing by the door. Whether or not it was the bad lighting, it looked as though Arnold had gone through the same pain she went through, and maybe even worse. Stories of sleepless nights were etched onto his heavy, dark-circled eyes. He seemed to have gone thinner, as the shirt he always wore seemed too loose on his frame. He didn't look scared to see her in the house, he didn't ask how she got out of custody, but there was a look of sadness in his eyes, one which even unnerved Gemini, despite their last meeting.

"Arnold…." Gemini whispered. At that moment, memories of her time with him came flooding back and she wanted to cry, but she felt something cold inside her and she snapped out of it. "I'm surprised you're still here."

"We spent our money to rent this place for a month, remember?" He smiled, though he spoke sadly. "I couldn't just let it go. I visit mum and dad every now and then, but I pretty much live here now. Besides, I had no idea what to do with your stuff."

"Looks like you won't have a problem with my belongings anymore. You can get rid of the rest." Gemini said indifferently. Without a word, Arnold walked slowly to her and stood right in front of her. "You forgot to move that ugly vase, by the way. The leopard print one in the foyer."

He shook his head. "I couldn't."

"Was it cursed or something?"

It made him smile a bit. "If I followed through with our plans then…well, it made the house another reason to remember you. I thought it was easier if I lived in here as it was, you know?"

Gemini scowled in confusion, knowing very well what he meant. "That makes no sense at all. If you wanted one less reason to remember me, you'd live at the Leaky Cauldron. We bought this house, remember?"

He merely smiled. "You looked just the same when they took you." He held the pendant of her necklace between his thumb and forefinger, which was once Gemini's favorite accessory and was now the symbol of why she would continue to break his heart. "I missed you."

Gemini wanted to turn her eyes red and lash out. She wanted to remind him that she was the daughter of his family's enemy. She wanted to tell him that he shouldn't miss her or should forget about her or that she was a monster and it was in her blood to kill him. She wanted to do all those things because she knew she was kidding herself and there was a small part inside of her that still had even a little bit of feelings for him, and somehow it just seemed easier if she got him to hate her than instead of truly believing that a Slytherin like her had more important things to do than to love.

So she knew she wasn't helping either of them when she leaned forward and kissed him. It didn't help when he placed his hands on her hips and she placed her arms on his shoulders, pulling him closer, enjoying the spark between them that she remembered. It felt different, after everything that happened, Gemini knew that it would never be the same again, but at that moment, Gemini wished time would freeze so everything—her parents, her destiny, the prophecy—would not matter anymore and it would be just them.

But she knew that was impossible and she was only going to hurt him more. Finally, she pushed him back. "I…I have to go." She said abruptly, turning to the bed to grab the bag. Arnold grabbed her hand and pulled her so she was looking back at him. "I can't stay here much longer, Arnold. The Aurors have a map, a map that can detect where I am for the next few days, or until I avoid enough Dark Magic to stay under the radar."

"And then after you're not, what are you planning to do? Where are you going?"

"You know I can't tell you that." Gemini tried pulling her hand away from his, but Arnold wouldn't relent. She could feel her eyes mildly sting the way it did just as it was about to turn red, but she calmed herself down and tried to prevent it. "You've got to forget me, Arnold."

"You know I can't. You really think I can after you just kissed me like that? I love you too much." The unspoken question in his sentence was, _Do you still feel that way?_

And she knew it. She looked away. "Then you're not going to like what happens next."

The sun had gone completely down now, though their eyes had adjusted to the dimness in the room. Gemini could see Arnold frown, but he looked more determined than ever. "Don't think you're going through this alone, Gemini." He said with conviction. "I don't know everything that's going on, but I know something's wrong with you and it has to do with Voldemort. I know he's gotten in contact with you, and I know there's a part of you that doesn't want to do this but he's making you do it."

She felt her eyes go red. Seeing the determination and courage in Arnold's eyes, she knew she had to do it. "I don't know what you're talking about." She said coldly. In one swift motion, she yanked her hand away from his and grabbed the bag. She felt something twist in her wrist, followed by what she thought was pain, but she had been under enough pressure from her father to brush it off.

"You do." He said stubbornly. She tried to side-step him out the door, but he grabbed her arm. "And I can help you. Professor Slughorn and I can. We're trying to find an answer to what's going on. We're not letting you do this alone. Give up now, and we _will_ help you clear your name and prove your father had something to do with it."

"My father did nothing. This is all _my_ plan." She insisted. "I'm going to find a way to bring him back to life, and I'm going to help him finish what he started."

Arnold remembered what Harry said, about how far gone Voldemort was at the end of the war, and how there was no chance Voldemort could ever return. He wasn't going to risk Gemini dying over an evil cause that had no chance of success. "Gemini, please…" He said so desperately that even he heard the crack in his voice.

That made Gemini laugh. "Pathetic, really." She pulled her arm away and walked towards the door.

 _I have to stop her._ Arnold thought. He clenched his fists. "Gemini, stop." He said with such a hardened voice he had never used on anyone that she stopped by the threshold and looked at him in surprise. "If you walk out that door, I'm going to call the Aurors and have you arrested and tell Slughorn not to help you anymore. Stay here, and I promise you, we will do whatever it takes to clear your name."

She was evidently surprised by his tone, but she merely smiled and tilted her head. "Really? Both will lead me back to arrest so I don't see much of a choice."

"I mean it." Arnold said. "If you leave now, I'm going to—"

"You just won't stop, can you? You know what, Longbottom? Fine, I'll stay." Gemini said. She threw her bag down to the side of the door. "I'll stay. You call the Ministry and tell them I'm here."

Arnold opened his mouth to say something, but Gemini cut him off. "But if you really _love_ me, do you really want my blood on your hands?" She challenged.

"They're not going to kill you."

"Oh really? Because if they arrest me in this house, Arnold, I'm going to make sure I'm such an unruly prisoner that they'll have to kill me sooner or later. They won't put me back in the Ministry's bottom levels and it straight to Azkaban for me, but when you think about it, my mother _escaped_ Azkaban and they could never get my father inside Azkaban. How long do you think they can keep me in there? They thought I couldn't escape once, but here I am now. Maybe I might just not be so lucky when I try to escape the second time around…"

He called her bluff. "If you get them to kill you, you won't finish what you think you're about to do. You're not gonna get yourself killed."

She grinned. "Do you really want to test that?" She waited for him to say something, but he remained quiet. "If you're going to have me arrested, then by all means do it now. But if you do, I'm going to make sure they see me as a threat, no matter what you say to them. I'm going to make sure you never see me alive again."

It was a low game, what she was doing, playing with Arnold's love for her, but it was the only way she knew she could manipulate him.

"And should I choose to let you go?" Arnold asked. "They'll still think you're still dangerous either way."

"Let me go, and it's still fair game for everyone." Gemini shrugged. "At least, as fair as I let it be. It's not much but at least you know you didn't send me to my death."

She knew that was it, the line that would drive Arnold off, but she wanted him to be sure. She walked back to him, stepping so close that Gemini had to focus, lest she tried to kiss him again. "What does your courageous, Gryffindor instinct tell you now, Arnold? Would you really arrest me knowing that I'm going to die after that?" She taunted. "Choose carefully."

Arnold sighed. The choice was clear for him. "You saved my life once, Gemini." He said sadly, wishing there was a third way he could see. "You know I'd do the same for you."

Arnold had so much more to say. He wanted to lean a bit forward and try to help her remember what the two of them had. He wanted to try and convince her to stay, even if it was just for his sake. He didn't want her to leave, but if it meant she was still going to live, if there was even a chance that she could survive whatever was happening to her, then he would let her go.

Gemini smiled knowingly. "Thought so." She took a step back, daring at him with her eyes to pull her back. When he didn't she turned around, walked back to the door and grabbed the bag on her way out.

"Gemini, wait!" She heard Arnold shout as she reached the bottom of the stairs. She huffed as she dropped her bag once more and stopped. Arnold ran down the stairs, clutching something in hand. It was only when he was standing in front of her, holding the lump towards her, did she realize it was the jacket she left on the bed. "You'll need this, I think."

She slowly took it from him, wary but thankful he gave it to her. It was a brown jacket, looking slightly worn but otherwise intact. Gemini had only seen him wear it once. Looking at Arnold, she couldn't read his emotion. But inside of her, she was beginning to feel a bit of regret that she was leaving him like this. "This was the jacket on our second date, wasn't it? That was the night we first kissed."

"You don't have to remind me." Arnold said. He was smiling sadly, but she could see from the corner of his eye a glistening tear. And that was when she felt her own eyes getting wetter as well.

Before he could see her own eyes, Gemini closed her eyes as she tiptoed and kissed him softly but briefly on the lips before walking away. "I'm sorry, I can't. I have to go." She said firmly as she turned and walked out the door without looking back.


	50. Working Alone

Chapter 10

Gemini flew as north as she could to the border between England and Scotland before she thought it was near enough before landing in a lush forest. She thought about getting rid of the Firebolt with the Fiendfyre curse, but just as she was halfway in speaking the curse, she realized it would be unwise to use Dark Magic, now that she was on the run. She'd have to avoid using Dark Magic curses for a while, so instead she used a simple fire spell. It took longer to burn out the broom, but Gemini collected enough branches and twigs on the ground to keep a large fire going and made a temporary camp in the forest.

After what seemed to be about an hour, the broom was finally charred enough to Gemini's satisfaction. She would have burned it longer, but it was getting dark and the slightest of noises tempted her to shoot a stunning spell at anything that moved. She had to get somewhere safe. It was only when she nearly used the Killing Curse on a frustrating squirrel that made her jump so many times did she realize there was a place she could hide out in for the night.

She apparated to her grandparents' home, the Riddle Manor.

It was exactly the way it was in her dreams and that brief moment she apparated there, though there was no light on the front porch. She quickly got inside before locking the door behind her. Going around the manor, she used sealing charms on the windows and any other places unwanted guests could use to break in. She swore under her breath for not taking note of those protective shield charms back in Hogwarts, but knowing she couldn't do anything else about it, she headed upstairs.

She went to the room closest to the staircase. The bed was still present, covered in a plastic wrap with about an inch of dust layered on it. Gemini moved the wrapping aside and placed her bag on the floor before laying down on the bed. It smelled stale and of old people and years of abandonment, but compared to her hard bed in the cell, Azkaban, and the forest ground, this was the closest she could get to luxury. She got up, drawing the curtains on the room, getting a quick glance of the village down the hill.

 _It's still not safe here,_ Gemini told herself as she lied on the bed. _A few hours. Just a few hours rest and I'll be out of here._ As she let the weariness overpower her thoughts, she realized one question: _But where am I going?_

Gemini opened her eyes and saw that she wasn't on the bed anymore, but in the sitting room downstairs, and there was a fire lit. She didn't have to look at the couch opposite her to see her father sitting regally quiet. She felt her arms tense on the armrests, but she tried to look calm. On that particular night, he had chosen to look like the pale, snakelike monster. She tried to appear indifferent to it.

He didn't bother with his usual sly politeness and immediately lashed out at her. "You let Harry Potter live?" He hissed. "You had the chance to let him drown and you _saved_ the man who killed your own family? That was very unfilially of you."

Gemini stood up. "Father, I—"

He looked furiously at her. Gemini felt a force push her back into the chair. "And don't get me started on the Longbottom boy. You haven't truly learned, have you, Gemini?" She blinked her eyes, fighting the urge to scream as he appeared in front of her face, his cold hand grabbed her jaw. "Witches like you aren't meant to love. Especially not blood traitors. You have a mission to fulfill. One that will bring back the family. Maybe you haven't truly learned…maybe you need another… _lesson_ before what I say finally gets inside that head of yours. You know, to help you focus on the mission."

Gemini felt her blood grow cold. _No!_ She put on a scowl and hoped her wits were still with her. "If you think I've forgotten the mission, then you obviously can't see the bigger picture." She said coldly. Voldemort gave her a questioning look, but she found the courage in her to continue. "I've never forgotten the mission. Not once. I just escaped the Aurors' custody. I nearly killed myself, practically destroyed what little sympathy the public had for me, and probably got brain damage after falling into the North Sea. You really think I _gave up_ on this cause, father?"

"Harry Potter is alive." He said accusingly.

"With good reason. He's more dangerous to me dead than alive." She said matter-of-factly. "I would have made a martyr out of him. And you remember what happened to Neville Longbottom when he thought Harry was dead, don't you? Imagine what would have happened if I killed Harry Potter? Witches and wizards wouldn't fear me, they'd hate me. The Aurors wouldn't be trying to recapture me, they'd be killing me on-sight. I'm lucky I still have plausible deniability of guilt apart from trying to escape or I'd be dead by now."

She felt the force on her disappear and she could stand up. "And as for the Longbottom boy?" Voldemort asked warily.

Gemini shrugged. "I had to say what I needed to say. He would have taken me down otherwise. You weren't engaged to him, father, so quite frankly you wouldn't know how to manipulate him."

She stood against the fire, the only source of light in the room. Her father's glowing eyes narrowed into slits. She could tell he was trying to read her mind, and she felt her eyes glow just as red as his.

Finally, he smiled. "I have trained you in Legimency too well." He said. "I presume you expect me to trust you like an ordinary father trusts his own daughter."

Gemini said nothing. He laughed. "Very well, if that is what you want. But be that as it may, you have given me seventeen years of reasons not to trust you. Before I can believe that you are truly who you claim to be, you must prove it." He said smugly. "If you won't let me view your mind and see the truth of your words, you're just going to have to show me that you are worthy of this cause…you mission still stands, but you'll be doing it on your own."

It took a while for the words to sink in. "What?" Gemini exclaimed. "Then how the hell am I supposed to know how to bring you back to life?"

Voldemort shrugged nonchalantly. "Your step-father has told you sufficiently what to do, and you're smart enough to figure it out. If you are truly loyal to your family and to this cause, then you'll find a way. Unless of course, you want to prove your loyalty the right way…"

Gemini had no intention of letting her father see her thoughts. "Fine. I'll do it on my own." She said hotly. "I _can_ do it on my own."

"Good." He smiled. He stood up and walked out the room. "And if I even sense you trying to do otherwise…well, I'll be very angry if that happens, Gemini. Very angry."

Gemini felt the tingling on her body and she fought hard to remain still, breathing deeply as she pushed aside the memories of those nights when he would "convince" her to follow his cause. She began to feel her lungs were struggling to move and she felt her hands trembling. Gemini lurched forward, but as she finally forced herself to take a deep breath, she saw that she was back in the bedroom, sitting up as she saw the morning light shining from the window.

She still felt cold, despite the bright day outside the window. _A dream,_ she thought, rocking her head as she sought to keep sane. _It was just a dream._

"I've been here for hours." She said to herself worriedly. By the looks of the light outside, it was mid-morning, around nine or ten, and she had been sleeping more hours than she thought safe. "I've got to go."

Without hesitating, she jumped out of bed, grabbed her bag, and ran down the stairs. When she saw the sealing charms were still intact, Gemini calmed down and decided to change her clothes. She was still hungry and slightly tired—she hadn't eaten anything and only drank the water from the water spells she created, and dreams where her father visited didn't exactly call for a good night's sleep—and she knew it was risky business trying to apparate with a state of mind like hers, but she had no choice. Now she had to find a way to bring back her father based only on Rodolphus' last words, but she also had to avoid the Aurors.

It was only when she changed into a fresh pair of jeans and a shirt did she hear the sounds just outside the door.

Gemini ducked under the windows, just on the side of one of the sitting room windows close to the door. She recalled one of the forests she saw on the travel guide, getting ready to prepare her escape in case the Aurors tried to attack. She got up slightly, just tall enough to peek at the corner of the window, and saw a black limousine parked in front of the gate. She recognized the two of them the moment they stepped out of the vehicle, but she was so surprised by their appearance here that she had to make sure. They were waiting patiently by the gate, as though they were expecting her to come out. They made no efforts to hide themselves, and from the last time she saw them, she was confused as to why they were there in the first place.

In case this was a trap, Gemini took her bag ready, even if it was heavy dragging it everywhere she went, unlocked the door, and stepped outside. She inhaled the fresh air of the rural village, making no emotion on her face. "I thought you'd rather die than use a Muggle contraption." She said dryly. "You said so yourself in sixth year."

Cassio grinned. "I guess that just shows how much we care about you."

"Really?" Gemini went down the front porch and walked the pathway to the gate. "Because the last time I saw you guys, I honestly thought I was dead to all of you."

"Please, Gem." Abigail said persuasively. "That was never the case. Come with us, we'll explain everything on the way."

"On the way?"

Abigail nodded. "To my summerhouse. We're all waiting for you."

Gemini huffed. "You know, the Aurors have a map, a map that can—"

"Detect all Dark Magic within the area, I know." Abigail said impatiently.

Gemini stopped walking, looking at Abigail suspiciously. "I've never told you that before."

She expected Abigail to cover up, to panic as her cover was blown before Aurors went in to close in on the trap. Abigail merely shrugged. "Like I said, _we're_ all waiting. It's not just us."

There were so many questions in Gemini's head. Who in the Ministry would have her back, especially after what she's done? Two of the friends she once thought completely turned their backs on her were now standing in front of her. Was it a trap from the Aurors? Or somehow, in a sick, twisted way, were they genuinely trying to help her? "If you know what this map is, and you know I've escaped, then you know I'm most likely on that map. And that means…"

Abigail waved a careless hand. "It's been taken care of, Gemini. You don't have to worry about that map. Like I said, we'll explain it on the way."

"And as a precaution, well…" Cassio motioned at the limo. "Hence the Muggle contraption. They'll never find us. Don't worry."

"We really should go, Gemini." Abigail said.

Gemini opened the gate slowly and stepped out. Nothing happened, though Cassio took her bag and placed it at one side inside the limo. "Why are you doing this?" Gemini asked as Abigail stepped inside and Cassio held the door open for her.

"We've been waiting for you to make a move this whole time." Abigail called out. "And now that you have, you don't have to be alone anymore."

"In fact," Cassio added, a knowing smile on his lips. "You were never alone the whole time."


	51. Bloodlinks and Traitors

Chapter 11

"Were you in contact with Gemini Black yesterday around 6:24 in the evening?"

"I—yes."

"Did you have the opportunity to apprehend Ms. Black?"

"Yes."

"Were you aware that Ms. Black illegally escaped Ministry custody and is therefore a fugitive from the law?"

"Yes."

"Did she, in any way, prevent you from apprehending her and turning her over to proper authorities?"

Arnold bit his lip. "Sort of."

The Auror looked unimpressed. "So you're saying you let her get away?"

"Yes."

The Auror opened his mouth to speak, but Harry stopped him. "What did you mean by _sort of_?"

He could see the look of pain in Arnold's eyes, though he knew there was no regret there. "She told me she was going to get herself deliberately killed if I turned her over to you." He said sadly. "If I let her go, you'd catch her on her own."

Harry was at a tight spot. No matter what Gemini did, he couldn't blame Arnold for still loving her. Compared to their time together, Arnold would never think that Gemini was a different person now. But on the other hand, he let Gemini get away. The Ministry was forced to issue warning of her escape this morning, along with the admission that Gemini isn't as safe as they originally told the public. As Harry and Minister Shacklebolt predicted, it did not go well. And now they were forced to use tighter security measures, starting with punishing the man who was at the same place Gemini was seen on in the map.

"Be that as it may, Arnold, you do realize assisting a fugitive is against the law and punishable by a month in Azkaban?" Harry said. Arnold looked at him and nodded. "Since you pleaded guilty to it, we can skip the trial and move ahead to the hearing. For now, I've got orders to send you to the detaining area for the time being. I'm sorry, Arnold. But you've given us no choice."

It was one of the hardest parts of Harry's job, apprehending someone who didn't deserve to be sent to Azkaban. What Arnold did was wrong, but under the circumstances… _she was his fiancé, after all._

Arnold stood up awkwardly, his hands cuffed behind him. He looked sad the entire time he was in the Auror Office, his emotions ranging from sad to afraid to confused, but never once did Harry see him regretting his actions. The other Auror led Harry out of the office.

"You did the right thing, Harry." Ron said, sitting on the couch at the side of his office. When George didn't need his help running the shop, Ron was an honorary Auror and frequently dropped by. "I'm sure Neville and Hannah will understand."

"I know." Harry said blankly. "That's the problem, isn't it? Even I understand why Arnold did it."

"There's something wrong with her, by the way." Arnold said loudly, stopping to turn at Harry a few feet away from the door. "Something Dark involved with the way she's acting. I don't know what it is, but I know it's keeping her connected to Voldemort somehow."

Harry looked at Arnold and shook his head sadly. "Arnold…Voldemort. Is. Gone."

"No, Harry, he's not."

Everyone turned to the door to see Hermione standing there. There was a big old book in her hands.

"Well…" She continued as she strode inside and placed the book on Harry's table. "Not exactly. Only on Gemini's consciousness. I'd say it's in her soul but that would suggest she's a Horcrux."

Arnold looked at Harry, who had seemed to turn ten shades paler in the last few seconds. "What do you mean?"

"Well, after Gemini's sudden change—" Hermione looked at Arnold. "If I'm going to tell you, we might as well tell Arnold. He's the only one we know who personally knows most of Gemini herself. Plus he's her fiancé, he's got the right to know. Please, have a seat, Arnold."

Harry told the Auror to leave Arnold with them for the time being. When the Auror left, closing the door behind him, Hermione cleared her throat. "Anyway, I'm sure we all know Gemini's attitude changed the moment the interrogation went wrong. And after that, she started showing signs of insanity: from begging not to sleep, saying Voldemort was torturing her mind, and begging us to just kill her to prevent anything bad from happening. Most of the Aurors thought it was Gemini showing her true colors, and until her escape, Harry, you believed Gemini when you thought it was an attempt to be quarantined in Azkaban or killed for the greater good.

"But I read something, down in the Restricted Cave. I read it a few years ago when we were taking inventory of Second Wizarding War artifacts and archiving the war memories. When I was going through the memories of the Aurors during Gemini's detaining here in the Ministry, I realized that what she was saying fit perfectly with this." Hermione opened the book. Harry, Ron, and Arnold thought it pointless for her to open the book for them because it was writing in some sort of alphabet they couldn't understand. There were crude pictures drawn on some of the pages, and though most of the drawings were incomprehensible, every time Arnold recognized an agonized face on the pictures, he could hear faint echoes of screaming. Finally, she stopped at a page.

"This is a book of some of the most ancient forms of dark magic," Hermione explained. "Most of them long forgotten, but they are the basis of most of the forms of Dark Arts we have today. I believe Gemini has this."

She pointed to the part of the page with a picture. There was what looked to be a crude drawing of a small human. Behind the human was another human, though drawn with a heavier hand and with red ink. The two figures were linked at the hand. "This is the Bloodlink Curse." Hermione said gravely. "Even more ancient than any Horcrux."

"A Bloodlink Curse?" Harry repeated. "What is it?"

"You know how they say that the ones you love truly never leave you?" Hermione asked. "According to this book, this is true both figuratively _and_ literally—well, almost. It's basically the same concept of the Resurrection Stone, but much darker."

Hermione translated the words for them. "A person keeps links with two kinds of spirits: the ones they genuinely loved in life, and the people for whom they are offspring to—that means your parents." She looked at Harry, who nodded at her to continue. Hermione read through the rest of the book before she looked at the three of them and continued. "Basically it means that even if you think you are alone, you're actually not; your parents and loved ones' souls are nearby, watching. That's the non-Dark Art concept. The Bloodlink capitalizes on that, and in a way, Voldemort is capitalizing on the Bloodlink."

"But Voldemort is gone." Harry said stubbornly. "We killed him, remember?"

"His body is gone, yes, and his soul was destroyed after seven horcruxes, yes, but…oh, please just let me finish, Harry." Hermione pressed her lips together. "Now, Gemini was born to Voldemort and Bellatrix almost a year before his death. It's hard to put into detail, but basically speaking, because they have a child, part of their blood is still alive, and therefore part of their soul, however small or broken it is, still exists in this world. Voldemort's blood is in her, that is why a small portion of his soul still exists. No matter how destroyed your soul is, having a child creates a part of your soul that remains undetectable. So a small part of Voldemort still existed. That is what the Bloodlink uses."

"So she's a Horcrux?"

"Not exactly. Horcruxes are made by Dark Wizards through extensive means. The link is created automatically by having children, while Bloodlinks are created by powerful Dark Wizards who know how to create one in death. Also, human Horcruxes gain traits from the creator while Horcruxes possess those around them—like Harry and his Parselmouth and Slytherin's locket changing one's personality. Bloodlinks do not affect a child's personality, and only serve as a means to communicate between a child and deceased parent.

"The Bloodlink Curse occurs when extremely dark wizards use that connection with their children to contact them. The most popular but commonly unknown example of the Bloodlink was the witch Morganna Le Fay using the Bloodlink to convince her sons Ywain and Mordred to slay King Arthur. It's a particularly difficult spell, since the spirit would and living world's boundaries and laws are not yet truly known, and only those who have practiced in the Dark Arts for long periods of time can be able to even attempt the Bloodlink in death." Hermione paused. "And get this: the Bloodlink is difficult to perform when the child is not aware of their parents' presence. It becomes less difficult when the child is either of the two: exposed to Dark Magic or recognizes their parents trying to communicate with them."

"That day in Borgin and Burke!" Harry and Ron said in unison.

"Precisely what I thought." Hermione nodded. "I have a theory that that was enough opening for Voldemort to try and communicate with Gemini, filled her head with enough thoughts before her consciousness closed to him when the exposure to Dark Magic started wearing thin. It was just enough to sway her until she found out the truth from Draco Malfoy. After that, now that she knew he was her father, it became easy for him to get into her head. And when is someone's mind at its most vulnerable?"

"When she's asleep." Arnold said softly, lapping every of Hermione's words.

Hermione nodded. "Exactly."

"So…Gemini was telling the truth." Harry said. "Voldemort was in her dreams, and it was easy for him to do it since she did Dark Magic in Draco's house and she knew the truth about him."

"And Voldemort's a very dark wizard." Ron added. "Seventeen years and he's probably still got the powers to do this."

"My thoughts exactly." Hermione said. "And my guess is that Voldemort knew about the Bloodlink, and he may have tortured Gemini into following him. Hence that time Gemini seemed broken everytime she woke up."

Harry turned his eyes to Arnold, who had tears forming in his eyes. He was amazed that none of his anger was directed at himself. He imagined Ginny being re-possessed by Voldemort once more and arrested, and Aurors refusing to believe that Voldemort was doing this to his wife. He would apologize to Arnold later. "So that means…Voldemort's back?"

"Not really." Hermione said weakly. "He's still technically in the spirit world, but he's got a direct communication with Gemini. Like Morganna, he can tell Gemini what to—"

"He's telling her to bring him back."

All eyes turned to Arnold. He was tearing up, but his face was stony, trying to keep it together. "He's telling Gemini to find a way to resurrect him. She kept telling me—telling us, even—but what she said only made sense now, doesn't it?"

Hermione felt her muscles tense. She suffered enough in the Second Wizarding War that even the threat of Voldemort's return made the _Mudblood_ scar on her forearm tingle. "It does." She gulped, realizing the brevity of the situation. "Which means finding Gemini is more imperative than ever.

"And then what?" Everyone turned to Arnold, who spoke quietly— _too_ quietly. "When you have her in custody and you know Voldemort still exists while Gemini's alive, what then?"

The elephant in the room was stomping all three of them for an answer. They all knew what Gemini's life implied, but they were too stunned to say it. Someone as evil as Voldemort was supposed to stay dead, after all.

When no one said it, Arnold did. "So you're going to kill her?"

"Arnold…" Hermione said weakly.

"You said it yourself, Hermione: Voldemort will continue to exist as long as he has a living child in this world. That means Gemini will have to die for Voldemort to truly be gone now, won't it?"

Finally, Harry said it. "We'll do whatever it takes to keep the community safe."

Arnold felt his stomach lurch, threatening to throw up. His nightmare had finally come true: the Ministry would now consider executing Gemini to protect the wizarding world. He knew that no matter how hard he tried to rationalize her actions, how she was smart enough to fight her own father, he knew that she would have to die for everyone to be safe.

But he refused to make it any harder for her. And still, the least he could do was try.

"Then if you're going to catch her," he said defeatedly, "then you're going to need my help."

Hermione looked at him. "That's very kind of you, Arnold, but this is more dangerous than you think. Gemini's working for her father now. This is something the Aurors have to deal with."

"But I'm the best person who knows her." Arnold pointed out. "I know how she thinks. Even with Voldemort telling her what to do, most of the thinking is hers when she's awake. She said she's hiding in forests until the Dark Magic wears off and you can't find her in the map. Show me all the forests in England and I bet I could point out at least one forest she's been in."

"He does have a point." Everyone's eyes turned to Ron. "Look at it this way, Harry. Gemini's going to be moving from forest to forest until the Dark trace wears off and she'll be invisible in the map. I think the best thing to do is to watch Gemini's movements, see if there's a pattern forming, and then get Arnold's help in trying to guess where she'll strike next. Most likely there'll be a pattern, and it's possible Arnold's the only one who can get it."

Harry looked questioningly at Arnold for a while. Finally, he pushed his glasses closer to his eyes. "Very well. Arnold, in exchange for your services to the Auror Office, we are willing to drop your charges for aiding Gemini's escape. What do you say?"

"Okay. Thank you." Arnold nodded, but stopped abruptly. "One thing, though…"

"Go on." Harry said.

"If we catch Gemini and if you're going to kill her…I want to be the one to do it." Hermione gasped at his request. He shrugged. "I just feel like…if it ever happens…I'd want it to…to…"

"We'll deal with that when the time comes, Arnold." Harry sighed. He turned to Hermione expectantly. "Hermione, the map if you please."

She looked at him confusedly. "Me? The map was with you, remember?"

"It's not with you?"

"No, you've had it this whole time! Isn't that how you found out Gemini was at her and Arnold's place?"

"Yeah, and then when I returned here with Arnold and Alex, the map wasn't on my table. I assumed you took it for updating or something." Harry said, just as confused as Hermione was. "You've been doing that for a while remember?"

Hermione looked at Harry and Ron worriedly. "Harry…I didn't take the map."

Harry was on his feet and running out the door, pushing it open and startling the Aurors in the office. Hermione quickly ran after, while Ron motioned Arnold to follow suit. The four of them ran down the halls, past the other divisions of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, all the way to an unimposing wooden door marked "Security Office". Harry was already in the room, a square that was half as big as Harry's office, with Hermione right behind him. Arnold saw the black walls were lined with about fifty rectangular screens, each of them showing different parts of the entire second level. There was one security wizard watching the screens.

"Muggle CCTVs—but with charms to improve on some things.." Ron explained as Arnold looked around. "One of Hermione's best ideas for the office. We've never really used it for the things she mentioned in her proposal like inappropriate work ethics or wizards who nick parchment paper in the supply closet, but it's been helpful when we're looking for things misplaced. Skipps here's been making sure everything's in order."

Hermione shushed Ron as Harry dictated orders to a security wizard. The screen showing Harry's office slowly grew in size, the other screens adjusting on the sides, until the screen was three times its size and was at the middle of the wall.

"Setting time back to yesterday night, around 6:30 in the evening." The security wizard announced. A clock appeared on one corner of the screen, and Harry and the Auror who was with him when they arrested him the night before, Alex, was standing over Harry's desk. They were hovering over a large piece of parchment paper.

"She's not in Kent. Cross that off the list." Harry on the screen said. "Let's check Berkshire… _there_! That green dot on the map. That's got to be her…she's in her and Neville's son's house? Nevermind. Let's go before she leaves! Go! Go!"

Harry and Alex ran out the room, leaving the map on the table.

"Fast forward it, Skipps." Harry said. The security wizard complied. For about a minute, it was just the office. The blinds on the glass between his office and the rest of the Auror Office was up so they could see Aurors passing by at a fast pace. Finally, a figure entered the room, grabbed the map, and left.

"Stop and rewind!" Harry said. "Good, now play at normal speed."

Arnold watched the man enter the room. He passed the Aurors who were near the office, strode in, and roll the map into a bundle before getting out. He looked at Ron for an explanation, but all three of them were staring at the screen. Harry looked livid. Hermione looked confused. Ron looked just as lost as he was.

"Follow him." Harry said. The screen quickly shrunk back and another moved to the center. It showed the main Auror Office, and they could see the man's back as he exited the office, none of the Aurors raised an eye . The screens kept moving, showing him as he headed to the elevators, down to the atrium, and all the way out. The screens went back to the equal rows, but when Arnold turned to look at Harry, they were all dumbstruck.

"Skipps," Hermione stammered, "please check my office. A few minutes before that. It's just a hunch."

Another screen moved to the center, starting where the man entered her office. He could be seen waving and laughing at someone outside before closing the door. His face turned hard and determined, and Hermione obviously recognized the man but not the way his face looked at that moment. He pointed his wand at the office, and a thick file flew out of one of her cabinets. He flicked his wand and the file caught fire, the ashes disappearing mid-air.

"What is that, Hermione?" Ron asked, placing his hand over hers. Arnold felt a sharp pang, reminded of him and Gemini, and looked away.

"All the papers I used to make the map." She said, her voice barely a whisper. "I can't make another map easily without those papers."

The man left the room. Skipps pressed a button and the screen showing the small room before Hermione's office, where her secretary was on her table.

"Everything alright?" The secretary asked the man.

He smiled. "All good, Ina. Just got to make a quick stop to the Auror Office then I'm off."

"Okay, then. See you tomorrow."

He stopped halfway through. "Actually, I'm taking a leave of absence. Didn't Hermione tell you? Told her a few days ago that I won't be at work for quite a while."

"Oh really? Where are you going?"

He thought for a moment. "Hmm, it's kind of…let's just say it's a family thing."

"Okay, Malcolm. You take care."

"Later, Ina."

He exited the room. The screen turned back to the present time and shrunk back into the uniform line. Harry, Ron, and Hermione looked at each other, looking at each other for answers.

"Why'd he do that?" Ron asked.

Hermione looked gravely at all of them. "Guys…what's going on?"

Harry looked at the screens. "I don't know. But I get the feeling that there's something big here, something we didn't see before. And I have a feeling it's not just Gemini we're dealing with."


	52. We, not you

Chapter 12

Gemini tried blocking out the sounds of their voices. They were patient with her, and even stopped by a Starbucks so Abigail could get her what she usually bought back when they both worked in the Ministry, and though she ate the croissant and frappe and felt better, she still refused to acknowledge their presence.

"Gemini, _please,_ " Abigail said pleadingly. She and Cassio were seated beside the doors, Gemini on the cushions on the side of the limo. "We're sorry we abandoned you at that party, but if you'll listen, we'll explain why we did it—and with good reason!"

She turned her head to them. "Oh, I'm sorry. Do you not like being utterly ignored and forgotten? Perhaps you just like it when it's not directed at you."

"Just listen to us, for fuck's sake." Cassio sighed. He rubbed the skin between his eyebrows before looking up. "Driver, stop."

The limo came to a halt. They had been driving for almost an hour, and only then did Gemini take a look at where they were. They were in some road Gemini didn't recognize. On both sides of the road were fields, the one on the right enclosed with a white fence holding a barn and animals.

"Look," Cassio said. "Just hear us out, then you can ask us anything we missed out. If you don't like what you hear, then you can go. Sounds fair?"

"I already hear your voice, can I go now?"

"Gemini…"

Gemini sighed. She wanted nothing to do with her so-called friends, who did nothing but desert her. She remembered Abigail's look of guilt as they left her engagement party, so Abigail's presence was understandable. She didn't get why Cassio, her ex-boyfriend who was but a fling in her memory, was there, nor why the other friends whom the two claimed to be there for her were not there either.

But still, she was moving. Based on the map she saw, it was likely that Harry was watching her movements. Hermione would have obviously upgraded the map for it to go this far, but she knew that it would be impractical for Harry to go after her while she was moving. And yet, Abigail knew about the map but didn't seem worried about it. Gemini sighed, thinking of her two options: a forest in Devon or the Flint Summerhouse—summer mansion, as Gemini called it—in Sussex. _Well, it's not like I have a schedule._ "Fine. I'll listen." She grumbled.

"Good." Cassio said. He snapped his fingers and the driver started driving the car.

"Okay." Abigail started. "So you and the rest of the wizarding world know that our parents barely escaped prison after the war, right? They managed to evade a trip to Azkaban because although they supported the Dark Lord's _beliefs_ , the Ministry could never prove that they _assisted_ the Dark Lord and committed and anything wrong. But in truth? They were just really good at hiding what they didn't want the Ministry to know. Our families kept hiding and smuggling the remaining Death Eaters out of the country, intent that they finished their cause. All of them conspired to smuggle Rodolphus Lestrange out, but he refused and decided to go on the run, trying to bring back the Dark Lord, though he did eventually get caught.

"But before he left the safety of our parents' protection, he told them that Voldemort and his wife had a child together, and he had no idea where the child was after the war, but the child was key to bringing back the Dark Lord. Of course, our parents believed him, and we were quite lucky that the Aurors dismissed that claim and didn't ask us about it, and they believed it was just Lestrange's attempt to scare them.

"They tried looking for you, but there were no leads. They figured the Malfoys had you, seeing as Bellatrix's sister was Narcissa Malfoy, but they claimed to have no knowledge of a child from Bellatrix. By the time they figured the Malfoys were lying, every possibility ran cold. But the thing is, they never gave up."

"They didn't?" Gemini asked dubiously.

"They didn't." Abigail nodded. "They waited for years because they only had one solid lead, but they never gave up on finding you. Their only lead was that Voldemort and Bellatrix had a child, and it just so happened that the child was the same age as some of their children—you, me, Cassio, Zoey, and everyone else in the group. Everything else—if the Malfoys dumped you in an orphanage or tricked a Muggle family into believing you were theirs—was all speculative leads. So they made a plan: they got _us_ to look for you. When first year started, they told us to look for a Muggleborn sorted into Slytherin, possibly pale, possibly black-haired, possibly an orphan—and you fit the description of what they were looking for _perfectly_ —and then they told us to befriend you and watch you very closely."

"At first we were very hesitant to befriend a Mudblood," Cassio recalled, "but then we saw how remarkable you were, how good you were at magic without even trying, and we knew our parents were onto something. We had to convince everyone you were half-blood to make it work for us, though."

"Right, so as we grew older, our parents started telling us why were supposed to hang out with you." Abigail continued. "They said you were Voldemort's child, that you had the power to bring him back and create the perfect pureblood society he wanted, and we had to keep a close eye on you until the time you proved it without a doubt. And you did, on the night of that party. We—"

"Whoa, stop the car." Gemini scowled. "So…all this time…you were just being told to hang out with me? Like some unpopular kid whose mom pays other kids to be friends with her kid, but in a more fucked up way?"

"Don't stop!" Cassio shouted at the driver.

"No! I promise you, it was never like that!" Abigail exclaimed. She jumped out her seat and sat next to Gemini and hugged her. "You are my best friend, and I have never lied about that. _We_ have never lied about that."

"Then why didn't you help me when I needed you?" Gemini shouted.

"We wanted to help you, but we had orders not to. With the position daddy and the rest of our parents were in the war, we couldn't be implicated with being your friends, especially when who you were became public. We had to be above reproach, and we were forced to wash our hand off of you."

"That's a funny way of doing it, leaving me alone and then coming for me in a damned limo." Gemini said dryly.

"We worked under orders, Gemini." Cassio explained. "We couldn't help you in any way until we knew for sure."

"Knew what?"

"That you were truly your father's daughter and you were going to escape and fulfill your prophecy."

Gemini raised an eyebrow. "You knew about the prophecy?"

"We did."

"I've heard enough. Stop the car."

The car abruptly stopped. Abigail looked at her. "Gemini—"

"What kind of fucking friends are you?" Gemini shrieked at them. "That's a load of bullshit, you know, saying you're my real friends and you're looking out for me but you couldn't because of _orders_. You're obviously helping now that you know I'm back and you don't want my father to get even with you when I take control."

Cassio looked at her sternly. "You don't completely understand!"

"I UNDERSTAND COMPLETELY! I nearly killed myself, got attacked by Victoire, drowned in the North Sea, and spent twelve hours flying around Great Britain, hungry and exhausted. Either this is one way of yours to not get killed when I bring my father back or some elaborate attempt from the Aurors to arrest me, I don't care. I'm not sticking around!" Gemini said angrily. "Besides, since when have you ever taken your parents' orders seriously?"

She noticed the two of them look at each other. "Gemini," Abigail said quietly, "our parents didn't orchestrate any of this. I mean, yeah, they're part of your quasi-Death Eater group among many other of us purebloods and they support the plan to have you bring back your father, but…none of our parents created this plan. Someone else. Someone we can't refuse."

Gemini narrowed her eyes. "Who?"

"We can't tell you now, it's hard to explain. Better he tell you himself when we get to the house." Cassio impatiently snapped his hands and the driver drove off once more. "Trust me when I say this: _you do not understand what's going on right now_. There's a reason why the Ministry won't be finding you for quite a while."

"I—"

"Just wait until we get to the Flints', babe." Cassio snapped. Gemini glared at him and scowled before leaning back on her seat.

"So much for 'if you don't like what you hear then you can go'…" Gemini muttered before looking out the window. She could see the Flints' summerhouse just up on the hill ahead, and after five minutes, the limo pulled over in front of the grand front door.

Gemini stepped out of the limo. She saw a house elf step out of the driver's seat, got her bag from the car, and carried it inside.

"The room next to Abigail's, Blank." Cassio said as he entered.

"Come on, Gemini." Abigail said solemnly. "He doesn't like to be kept waiting."

"Who?" Gemini asked, but Abigail waved at her to follow as she walked briskly inside. As she entered, several people sitting on the couches in front of the fireplace stood up. The two of them passed the foyer and into the living room, and Gemini saw a mixture of her old Slytherin friends and older people she didn't recognize.

"Abby," Abigail's father said. "You're late."

"We had a bit of a detour." Abigail said indifferently as she strode past them. "We're taking her to him."

"Very well." Marcus Flint said before turning to Gemini. "Gemini."

"Mr. Flint."

Her friends greeted her, but it was much too formal than they were when it was just them. It was almost as if they were scared of her. _Let them,_ Gemini thought as they greeted her quietly and she nodded curtly at them. On one couch, there were four other older people. There was one woman who seemed to be glaring at her, two men who looked satisfied by her arrival, and an old man, one whose face seemed so familiar. And then she remembered.

"You!" Gemini lunged at him. She was a few feet away from throwing a punch at him but Cassio managed to run after her and hold her back by wrapping his strong arms around her. She tried breaking free but Cassio was too strong for her, especially when she was still tired. " _You're_ the reason I got locked up!"

"You can kill him _later._ " Cassio said loudly in her ear, trying to speak about her grunts as she tried to escape. "But for now, you really must go."

Gemini had to breathe for a few seconds to calm down and stop moving. She glared at the old man before pushing Cassio's arms away from her and followed Abigail up the stairs and onto the second floor. It was only when they were out of sight and Gemini really calm down did she feel how tired she really was and struggled to walk the long hallway. "Where are we going?"

"The library." Abigail said. "He requested having some private time with you."

"Who?" Gemini said, irritated. If this guy was a person her friends obeyed and planned this second group of Death Eaters, then he was important. An idea went through her mind. _If this is Draco's way of apologizing…_

"I…I think it's better if he explains it himself. Here it is." They stopped in front of an intricately-designed double door. Abigail opened it. "He's waiting for you inside. I promise we'll talk after, if that's what you want."

 _I just want to get it over with,_ Gemini thought tiredly, her feet aching and her mind easily wandering. She nodded and entered the room, and Abigail closed it behind her.

The library was quite small, only two tall bookshelves on either side of her. The center aisle led to a circular leisure area, with two couches pointed towards a set of doors that led to a balcony overlooking the vast field behind the mansion. The windows were large and uncovered, and was just as bright as the rest of the place. Gemini walked to the sitting area and saw nobody there. She walked to the doors, peeked at the balcony, and saw no one there.

Gemini looked around the room. "Hello?"

"Do forgive me for meeting you like this, but I've been waiting a long time to meet you." A smooth voice said from the left bookshelf. _A familiar voice._

Gemini looked in that direction. "I could say the same about you."

She heard him laugh. "But the thing is, Gemini, we've already met before. I wouldn't expect you to remember that day, but to me, that was the day I was certain you were Bellatrix and the Dark Lord's daughter. The curly hair and the necklace was a dead giveaway, I was actually surprised you lasted three months in the Ministry with no one ever connecting you to your mother. You just came and went under everyone's noses, no one—including you—knowing that the two most dangerous people were working for the Ministry."

" _Two?" Gemini_ asked. _Great, that narrows it down to every male Muggleborn or half-blood who watches Muggle movies—oh fuck it._ "So you work for the Ministry?"

" _Worked._ After I made sure they'd have a hard time getting their hands on that map, let's just say I'm every bit wanted as you are…" she heard footsteps and then saw him. "Although I've gotten a head start on a bit of disguising, if I don't say so myself."

Her eyes widened in surprise. He was handsome in a dark, brooding sort of way, but though that was the only way Gemini could describe his appearance, it wasn't the first thing that came to her mind. What did come to mind was the memory of his face always being the first face she saw in the second level of the Ministry of Magic. She remembered how his honey-colored hair and bright blue eyes matched his sunny personality. And yet, standing before her, he had black hair and dark eyes, and looked just as dark as she did, which was unsettling.

"Did you honestly think you were on your own the whole time?" He grinned.

 _No, really? That's not possible. Of all the possible people…Draco, some vengeful child of a Death Eater…but him?_ "Malcolm…?"

He laughed quietly, walking towards her. "Malcolm…" he repeated. "You're not the only one who used a false name, Gemini."

Her legs were getting weak as he approached. She was so confused and so tired and she felt sick knowing that her world had more secrets than she thought.

"Did you honestly think everyone free today did a 180 when your father died?" He smirked. "His revolution lives on, and now that you're here, proven to be his true heir, we can now finish what your father started."

"We?" She asked dubiously. Everyone else had said _she_ was going to finish her father's cause.

"You're going to need my help." He placed a hand on her shoulder. "And like I said, did you really think you were on your own the whole time? You may be the last Slytherin, but you're not the last Black. My ancestor was disowned, but my parents proved to your mother that we don't deserve to be. Hello, Gemini. I'm your cousin, Leo Black."


	53. The Other Black Scion

Chapter 13

 _I have a cousin._ Gemini thought. She felt the goosebumps on her arm. _Not just a Malfoy now, but a Black. I'm not the last Black!_

"Y-you're my cousin?" Gemini asked. She wanted to be skeptical, but there was something about the way Mal— _Leo_ spoke that made her believe him. With black hair, dark eyes, and in a tailored suit that didn't hide his lean but muscled figure, he looked the part of a Black, and there was the way Abigail and the others acted that made her believe it was serious. "Prove it."

As though he predicted she would ask him that, he drew something small from his coat pocket and handed it to her. It was a golden medal hanging on a green ribbon. The inscription on the medal read:

 _THE ORDER OF MERLIN, FIRST CLASS, IS AWARDED TO_

 _PHINEAS HYPERION BLACK_

 _FOR HIS CONTRIBUTION TO THE MAGICAL SOCIETY_

 _GIVEN THIS DAY DECEMBER 23, 1900_

"The Order of Merlin was given only to wizards who helped wizards _and_ Muggles until 1920." Gemini noted.

"We're both Phineas Nigellus Black's great-great-great grandchildren, but I'm his son Phineas' great-great grandson. You can guess from that medal why he got disowned." Leo said grimly. He motioned at the couches. "You look tired. I think you'd rather hear the rest of this sitting down."

Gemini sat down on the elegant white couch, and Leo sat beside her. "You see, history only tells you that the House of Black like to keep to their motto, _Toujour pur,_ and they'd blast anyone who didn't believe the same way. But have you ever wondered what the disowned Blacks do? They're a Black by name but they aren't affiliated with the family anymore."

Gemini shrugged. "I assume they just live their lives out in Muggle houses. There are millions of Muggles with Black as their last name, anyway."

"Funny, but no. The disowned Blacks pretty much stick together. Once you get past the disinheritance and the occasional Muggle visitor from the Hitchens family, you learn to get used to it. Generations passed, and the disowned Blacks started using new names to make it into wizarding society without being seen as social pariahs."

"Like Malcolm Carey?" Gemini asked. Leo nodded. "Is that even legal?"

"It's not, but we'd rather not be known as some diseased branch of the Black Family. That, and grandfather once told me he was sure Walburga and Orion Black were using their connections with the Ministry to make it illegal for us to use the name Black." He sighed. "Anyway, my father hated being in the disowned branch of the family. Despite the company his family kept, he believed that since great-great grandfather was the eldest, he should have been the heir to the Black Family's fortune. He was still a pureblood, was sorted into Slytherin, married a pureblood who shared his beliefs, and by the time I was four, we moved away from the group and moved to London. They joined the Death Eaters and proved their loyalty to your mother, who was considered the most powerful Black at that time, even though Sirius Black was already dead."

"Your parents were Death Eaters?" Gemini gasped.

Leo nodded. "They weren't welcome to tables and important meetings, but we were there in the Battle of Hogwarts. They were wearing masks, so to the Death Eaters they were the Blacks fighting for redemption, but to the rest of the world, they were Derek and Sharon Carey. It's more complicated than you think, trust me, I grew up in that house."

"What happened to them?"

"Having a pseudonym seemed to help them a lot, seeing as they were never caught." He shrugged.

"Meaning they escaped?" Gemini's fists clenched. He merely smirked in reply.

"Oh please. They didn't turn into nasty blood traitors like the Malfoys. Because they've got no connection to Death Eaters as far as the Ministry knew, they've been smuggling most of the other Death Eaters trying to escape, including your step-father. I can remember them hiding Uncle Rodolphus in the upstairs attic."

"So they started this plan?" Gemini deduced. "They were the ones who believed Rodolphus, and the ones who revived the Death Eaters? Well, where are they now?"

"They died a few years ago, a bad case of Dragonpox. Would have gotten the same fate if they didn't send me to France to make sure there wasn't a possibility that you weren't who we thought they were and you were sent to some French orphanage and went to Beaubaxtons." He pressed his lips together. Gemini could tell he was contemplating on telling her something, but the smile he gave her told her she wasn't going to hear it. "Guess it's just you and me now."

Gemini wondered what it was, but she was too tired to get it out of him, though she felt like there was something he was leaving out. She changed the topic. "So were you homeschooled or something? How come I've never seen you in Hogwarts?"

"I'm seven years older than you, kid." He grinned. "I graduated months before you even knew about the wizarding world."

 _Seven?_ Gemini thought. Leo looked younger than twenty-four years old, yet there was something very mature about him, especially his eyes. "Then your parents must have considered themselves lucky their friends all had friends my age to watch over me."

"It's destiny, maybe. Your friends downstairs watching you this whole time, and me, taking over what my parents started."

"And me?"

"You—you and that prophecy, of course."

Gemini rolled her eyes. It was as if everyone around her knew about the prophecy the entire time, waiting for her to slip up and reveal her parentage. _Everyone but me and Arnold._

She didn't bother asking him how he knew. "And you mentioned something about helping me?"

Leo smiled as though he waited for her to mention it. "We are. We've been waiting for you to reveal yourself. We're ready to help you bring your father back—die for you even, if that's going to bring back the perfect pureblood society in this filthy wizarding community of Mudbloods and blood traitors. We're going to help you and then we'll help your father."

Gemini didn't react. "What's in it for you?"

Leo shook his head and laughed quietly. "I know what you're thinking: why are these people risking their necks for me and not expecting anything in return? How can people who have manipulated their way into my life all these years now willingly give themselves to me to fulfill a prophecy?"

Leo cocked his head at the box on the table. Gemini looked at the box then back at Leo, and the curl on his lips dared her to open the box. She did so, very slowly, and saw a long wand lying inside.

"Because you're the Dark Lord's daughter." He said quietly. "You've proven that the moment you escaped the Ministry, and we're ready to fight for you."

Gemini pulled the wand out of the box carefully. Though Leo said nothing, she remembered the week in the Ministry when she helped Harry hunt this wand down, getting hurt with Dark Magic and even hearing the prophecy for the first time thanks to that search. She knew whose wand it was. It seemed to vibrate softly in her hands, and it gave a warm feeling on her palm. But unlike the makeshift wand she used to escape Harry and the other Aurors, the heat felt like a good kind of warmth, and Gemini had never felt more powerful as she held it.

"We've been pulling the strings this whole time." Leo said. "Now, it's your turn, Gemini. What do you need us to do?"

Gemini felt the wand's power like a source of energy. Though she was tired, she had never felt more alive, the wand's contact on her skin like a drug that gave her a quick glimpse of the future.

Finally, she turned to Leo. "How fast can you get me to Hogwarts?"


	54. The New (Sort-of) Auror

_**Hi guys! So sorry for the long wait. There was a problem with the WiFi at home so I couldn't get any writing done. Here are the next three chapters!**_

Chapter 14

"I still don't get it…" Arnold mumbled. "Why would the receptionist make sure you'd have no way of finding Gemini?"

Harry scratched his head. "That's what I'm trying to find out as well, Arnold. It just doesn't make sense."

"You think he was Imperiused?"

He thought for a moment. "It's unlikely. An Unforgivable Curse is Dark Arts, and with the extra security measures in the Ministry, he'd have been detected when he stepped in the office."

Harry felt suffocated in his desk and stood up and paced around the room. "I feel like there's something else. Something doesn't add up. Malcolm Carey's been in that post for almost three years, I think. If he destroys our biggest defense against the Dark Arts and then just gets up and leave, I have a feeling there's something bigger going on. Gemini may not have known about her past, but I have a feeling…"

Arnold looked up from the couch. "What?"

"Rodolphus Lestrange knew about Gemini—he didn't know _her_ , but he knew her existence. It's clear now that he was telling the truth."

"He knew all this time about Voldemort having a child? And he told you?"

Harry was surprised. He assumed Gemini had told Arnold everything about her work in the Ministry. "Yes. He said Voldemort had a child and this child was going to fulfill a prophecy about her, so—"

"So you knew about it and did nothing?" There was a hint of accusation in Arnold's voice.

"He had no evidence to prove it was true. We asked the other Death Eaters, and they claimed there was never a child." Harry said defensively.

 _Yeah, the ones you_ asked, Arnold thought. _The ones that knew were the ones you let slip away._ "So what do we do now?"

It was just him and Harry. Hermione was still stumped, trying to remember how she created the map. It had taken years of planning, prototype-making, and trial after trial to make the map, and it took months to upgrade it to scan the entire United Kingdom. She practically locked herself in her office every day just trying to remember how she made it. Ron, on the other hand, had business matters to attend to with his brother, especially with news of Voldemort's daughter's escape scaring everyone.

Harry lifted a file from his desk and showed it to him. "The only lead we have so far: find Malcolm. His folder was checked out, so his address is legitimate. I know it's unlikely that he's there now that he knows that we know what he's done, but…it's our only choice."

Harry and Arnold did go to the address on Malcolm Carey's file. They travelled to the shadier part of London, only to discover that the address was the site of a questionable-looking meat store. Harry made sure to check if the house was hidden from Muggle's view, but when he saw it wasn't, he stared in defeat.

"I don't get it!" Harry said in frustration. A few passing Muggles gave the two odd looks and Harry pulled Arnold to start walking down the block. "Malcolm must have confounded whoever viewed his application to think this was his house."

 _Or maybe there are others in the Ministry working for the Death Eaters and helped by-pass Malcolm's file,_ Arnold thought, but realized it was such a serious accusation that he didn't bother telling it to Harry. "What now?"

Harry remained silent until they found the abandoned house with the Floo Network. Arnold took the fireplace after Harry, and when he arrived, Harry was waiting for him. "To be honest…I've got nothing right now." Harry said as they walked into the Atrium. "We only have two options, and both of them involve waiting an indefinite amount of time. The first one: we wait for Hermione to get the map done again—and that's assuming Gemini is still on the map. If she's out there hiding, she's most likely avoiding the Dark Arts. Time's of the essence if that map's gonna be useful in finding her."

"And the second one?"

"Obviously Malcolm's been waiting for Gemini, and he wouldn't have blown his cover if he knew it wasn't worth it. I think…I think he's looking for Gemini. And if my hunch is correct and there are other Death Eaters out there, then they're planning something."

"Do we find the Death Eaters, then?" Arnold asked. The first people that came into mind were the Slytherin friends Gemini had that Arnold tolerated for the sake of their relationship, but then he remembered their early departure the moment she spoke Parselmouth.

Harry shook his head. "Too many options. You can't arrest someone for owning a Death Eater mask as an artifact or for having a pureblood opinion, and there's still a lot free because there wasn't enough evidence that they actively supported Voldemort." He sighed. "So for now, we standby and wait for Gemini or Malcolm to be spotted."

"But that could take forever!"

"I know…but it's the best plan we have." Harry said. He looked equally uncomfortable with the idea. "We can guess what Gemini's plan is, but her plan to bring Voldemort back sounds very impossible so it's all just guesswork from here on out. We can't do anything for now but prepare."

Arnold was quiet on the way up back to Harry's office. _I know what I have to do._ He only spoke until he closed the door behind them. "Then train me."

Harry looked at him. "Train me. I'm not asking to be an Auror, Harry, but at least some defensive and offensive spells if I'll be working with you. If we're going to catch Gemini and possibly a new batch of Death Eaters, we can't go around with me untrained to face them."

"That's not—"

"And no, I know what you're gonna say: that it's too dangerous for me to be out there with the Aurors and the Order—dad told me you were bringing back Dumbledore's Army too—and it's not protocol to bring a librarian to a duel. But it wasn't protocol to bring an intern to a stakeout at Borgin and Burke's, was it?" He saw Harry go a bit pale, now that he was calling out the elephant that had been in the room for so long. "Yes, I know about that day in Borgin and Burke's. Gemini told me when we were still dating. She wouldn't have been affected by Dark Magic if you didn't take her. Hell, we'd probably be living in our house in Berkshire if it wasn't for that day you took her to Knockturn Alley."

Harry looked away guiltily. "Arnold…"

"But I'm not blaming you, Harry. Gemini chose to help you, but I know we're all sorry that accident happened. But I need you now to stop blaming yourself and set aside the rules you did when you thought she was capable enough to go with you and Ron on that mission. I'm ready. I can help you. I _want_ to help you."

For a moment, Arnold looked just like his father. Harry remembered how Neville stood up against Voldemort when they all thought he was dead, and he knew that he could trust any son of Arnold. Harry nodded. "Fine. I'll personally train you on basic charms and hexes. And while we're at it, since we're hunting down Death Eaters, a bit of exercise for the Auror Office isn't a bad idea either. We'll start tomorrow."

Arnold thanked him before Harry left to go check on Hermione. Alone in Harry's office, Arnold laid down on the couch and sighed. _What are we going to do, Gemini?_


	55. Midnight Explorers

_**Updated Character Pictures!**_ __

 _ **Gemini Black – Michelle Trachtenberg**_

 _ **Leo Black – Finn Wittrock**_

 _ **Arnold Longbottom – Ben Lloyd Hughes**_

 _ **Abigail Flint – Charlotte Hope**_

 _ **Cassio Zabini – Rhys Wakefield**_

Chapter 15

 _Two Weeks Later_

"A bit higher, Gemini!" Leo yelled from across the room. "Don't put your weight on one leg, you'll fall easier! Harder! Five…four…three…two…and time!"

Gemini grunted as she gave the punching bag one more kick, and the gym in the Flint summerhouse was finally as quiet as the rest of the place.

"Good job, Gemini. Just remember to hit with your knees, not your calves. Unless you weigh as much as I do, kicking them the way you did won't make much difference." Leo said, handing her a bottle of water.

Gemini took a long sip. "Or I could just use a stunning spell. Less time and effort."

Leo pursed his lips in thought and shook his head. "Too predictable. We're just a higher and better version of Muggles, so most wizards forget that Muggle ways of fighting are just as effective. Fists and guns can work just as well if you can find the opportunity. Heck, your father would be in power right now if he just chucked Harry Potter out the window."

There was dead silence, which both of them hated. Gemini struggled to find something to say, but in the last two weeks, they had overused anything they could think of talking about. She wouldn't even be working out with Leo if there was nothing else for her to do. They were confined to the summerhouse, since they were both wanted people, while the others went to their respective homes to continue on with their lives and avoid suspicion. They were working on the plan while they were gone, but nonetheless, they were trapped in the house.

And though he tried not to make it obvious, Leo hated being confined there as well. For the first few days, Leo was scratching himself trying not to go out the door. They kept trying to keep themselves distracted, but after four days, even Mr. Flint's private collection of Dark Artefacts bored them. Finally, Leo thought it would keep them occupied if he helped her limber up and taught her how to fight. It was fun for both of them, and Gemini learned a bit more about Leo's real personality. He was definitely not the Malcolm Carey she knew, the bright receptionist whose sweetness was akin to a ten-year old. He was definitely the dangerous kind of guy, the one who reeked of ambition and drive to do what he wanted. But there was also the playful and flirtatious way he had when he was around her, and though he'd occasionally border on inappropriate, the two of them learned to get along, what with being trapped in the house and all.

"Now what do we do?" Gemini asked, staring longingly at the window. The sun was high enough in the sky for her to see the blue horizon past it.

"If you're bored, you remember that my offer still stands, right?" He grinned.

She looked away. "Really? I couldn't tell from the past week you've mentioned how lonely it was in your room." She stifled a smile. "My answer still stands, mind you. I'm not that kind of girl."

He shrugged. "Suit yourself. I just figured…"

"No."

"Well, you're already sweating…"

"No."

"And it's not incest if you're insanely distant cousins…"

"Fuck no."

"And I figured we might as well while no one can hear…"

"Um, ew."

"Because I can be pretty loud if you're into that—"

"Leo!" Gemini turned to him, her cheeks blushing red.

He raised his hands in surrender. "It's just an idea. A suggestion, really." He walked to the window she was looking at and plopped on the window seat and sighed. "What's a horny twenty-four year old wizard going to do in a boring mansion filled with house elves and a seventeen-year old witch who still thinks she's engaged?"

 _Thinks?_ Gemini raised an eyebrow, but didn't push it. "A poor house elf's going to have to die for your entertainment, then."

He chuckled. "Tempting. But do you know how hard it is to find a house elf? Marcus is going to kill me if I do." He patted the space next to him, inviting Gemini to sit next to him. She did, swaggering as she leaned against the wall and lifted her feet onto his lap. Leo glanced at her and smiled wryly as he untied her sneakers. While he pulled her shoes off, the two of them stared outside. "We could go outside."

"We might as well take a Portkey to Azkaban, while we're at it." Gemini said.

He looked at her. Gemini knew whenever Leo was serious, and she was surprised that he was. "I mean it. Even just an hour or two later tonight. It's the New Moon tonight, and a new moon during winter season means it's going to be really dark around midnight. We'd go somewhere where there aren't that many people and quite far from wizarding places."

"And you know it's the New Moon because…?"

"Astronomy is a hobby that runs in the Black Family. You think we name children after stars just because it's fancy?"

"I get that…but you? A hobby?"

"I don't know, as opposed to?"

"I've always assumed it was trying to get with witches."

"Nope, just the purebloods." He smiled at her. "But seriously, what do you say about tonight?"

It was very tempting, and Gemini longed to go out beyond the area around the house, but she knew she couldn't risk it. "I don't know…"

He exhaled as he stood up and held his hand out. "Come with me to my room and I'll show you."

"Is this some plot of yours to get me in your room?" Gemini asked in a sexy voice.

He chuckled deeply. "Lucky for you, I'm above false advertising. Let's go."

Leo's room was facing the front of the house. Gemini expected the room to match his personality, so she was surprised to see how clean the room was. It was similar to her room, with elegant furniture and the curtains drawn back in the morning to let the sun in, except it had blue paneled walls and not red and the only messy place in the room was the stack of books on the table. There was also a telescope pointed at the large window in front of the bed.

Leo led her to the table, where there was an opened book, a journal, and a map filled with circles Gemini couldn't understand. He noticed the confusion on her face. "If you're going to be a Black, you'll have to understand this. Maybe I'll start teaching you tomorrow, gives me something new to do and you something to learn." He turned to the map. "So yesterday, the moon was here, which would explain why sunrise was a bit late today…"

He began explaining, in which Gemini understood nothing about. She never took Astronomy in Hogwarts, since Slughorn had already promised to connect her with the Department of Magical Law Enforcement of the Ministry and she thought it was pointless to, but now that she was a Black, she regretted not taking it. Leo completely changed into a different person as he spoke. He was too engrossed explaining it that he didn't notice that she couldn't catch up. It was obvious that he knew what he was talking about, and he enjoyed talking about it.

When Leo was finished, he turned to Gemini. She coughed softly. "So, in layman's terms…it's gonna be dark tonight?"

He huffed. "Pretty much. So what do you say? You. Me. Maybe coffee and a walk in a park—I know a good place in London we can go. We'll leave the house at, say…eleven?"

Leo tried making a puppy dog face, but with his pale face and dark hair and his masculine features, he ended up making a silly face that made Gemini giggle. "Fine, but you have to promise never to do that again!"

He grinned. "Deal. It's a date then."

Gemini felt something inside her stir when he said that, something that made her stop smiling. Her face was blushing, but she felt as though she wasn't supposed to be doing this. Her father told her to focus on her mission, but except for what Rodolphus said about the worst traitor to her family, she had been following the mission for the past two weeks. _No,_ Gemini realized, remembering the first time Arnold asked her out. _That wasn't my father. That was guilt._

Leo was looking quietly at her now. Dead silence. She smiled mockingly. "Isn't this the part of the conversation where you correct yourself and say it's not a date-date?"

He looked in mock confusion and shook his head. "Nope. I'm pretty sure I meant what I just said." He smiled. "I'm going to take the shower. You're welcome to join me if…"

"No." Gemini said, though she laughed after saying it.

"Very well, then. I'll pick you up from your room at eleven. Until then."

~0~

"And I thought you hated Muggles." Gemini muttered under her breath as they left the counter with their coffee and sat on the table far away from the few other customers in the café. She had to hand it to Leo: he was right, the night was darker than usual. From what Leo learned from his three years in the Ministry, they were two miles away from the nearest Floo Network, and were far away from the nearest wizard living in the area.

"I don't _hate_ them, I just think we're better than them. Does a Muggle hate an ant? Didn't think so. Besides, one of my Hitchens cousins took me here during those times they couldn't be at home for Christmas and sent me to London to spend the holidays with the disowned cousins. This is the only Muggle establishment I will ever patronize."

"They were busy on Christmas?" Gemini asked. "What were they doing?"

"Serving the Dark Lord, mostly." Leo answered. "They were obsessed with trying to win your mother's trust that they weren't home often."

"Oh…"

"Don't fret about it. I understood why they were doing it, so it didn't bother me much when they left me with the Hitchenses." He took a sip of coffee and sighed. "But enough about me—"

"Oh no you don't." Gemini cut him off. "My life story's pretty much published in the front page of the Daily Prophet. I want to hear yours."

"Not much to tell." He shrugged.

"Don't give me that bull, I know there's _something_ worth telling." Gemini said. "I mean, you've practically stuck your neck out for me, spent most of your adult life looking for me, yet I know nothing about you."

He looked at her for a moment, staring into her equally dark eyes. "Very well. What do you want to know?"

"Well…for starters, what's it like being a Black like you?"

He smiled. "You mean a disowned Black? It's a lot better than a lot of wizards think. Most of the wizarding community thinks we're left out of the family and moved into squalor, but that's not true. My cousin's grandmother, Isla Black, had some standards and married a rich Muggle. My ancestor Phineas Black was independently wealthy and lived a comfortable life. All the disowned Blacks were disowned for toleration, so they eventually married Muggle-borns and half-bloods, but it was our line that remained purely pureblood and Slytherin. Father didn't take to the family's toleration, however, and always thought that, since Phineas Black was Phineas Nigellus Black's eldest, he should have been the Black's patriarch. He married my mum, and, after I was born, figured I would be the one to bring back the family line, but I couldn't do that if I turned into my cousins, so they moved from Wiltshire to London and I grew up there."

"And then what happened?" Gemini probed.

"I think they intended to raise me to think like them. I ultimately did, but it wasn't because of them. With them gone most of the time, they really weren't around to teach me anything. After Harry Potter won the war and the kids of Death Eaters and Voldemort's supporters had to stick together, I learned what I needed to know about blood purity. But it wasn't easy. To everyone, I was Malcolm Carey, but it was a secret kept amongst Slytherins that I was really a Black from a disowned line. To some, I was a Black nonetheless and I shared their opinions, so it was fine, but to some, I was akin to Mudbloods and half-breeds. I made sure they wouldn't ever think of me that way anymore." Gemini raised an eyebrow as if to ask what he did. "Pretty much the same thing you did in Hogwarts: I showed them what I was capable of. But unlike you, my actions were recorded in Filch's office, not the trophy room. After that, well…you saw how those Death Eaters followed me."

It was just like looking at a mirror image of herself. Leo mirrored almost every part of her life: they both grew up with fleeting parental figures; they both grew up with identities that made them outcasts in Slytherin; and both of them manipulated and proved to everyone who ever doubted them that they were not to be messed with.

They continued their talk while strolling into the park, which was ideally dimly lit, and Gemini found more things to ask him and she saw that they had more in common, a load of questions that seemed too personal and was now breaking out of the wall between them.

Growing up having been exposed to Muggles, they knew the problems Muggles created affected the wizarding community, and they were both frustrated that wizards couldn't do anything about it because it would raise the Muggles' suspicion. After graduating Hogwarts, Leo wanted to head to Romania to tame dragons, but instead he was sent to France to check any possible leads on Voldemort's child, in case the Gemini Ridley the Death Eater's children were spying on turned out to be just a Muggle-born fake. Leo's parents died from dragonpox four years later, and Leo inherited everything, including the Death Eater's leader position. After Abigail mentioned Slughorn was getting her an internship with Hermione, Leo decided to go undercover and watch over her, and ever since she arrived in the Ministry, he had been paying close attention, waiting for her to show any signs of being Voldemort's daughter.

"What would have happened if Orion never left my room that night?" Gemini asked. "You suspected I was Voldemort's daughter, but what happened if I never proved it? And don't mention the prophecy because I know a lot of prophecies don't come true—Rodolphus told me."

"He told you?" Gemini explained her escape from Azkaban, along with what Rodolphus told her. He thought carefully. "We'd probably have kept a close watch on you still. But to be honest, being the Dark Lord's _daughter_ and the Dark Lord's _heiress_ are two different things, if you catch my drift. You can be the heiress and his daughter, but just because you're his daughter that doesn't mean you've inherited anything from him. If you never revealed yourself, we couldn't have done anything with your blood, could we? Maybe— _perhaps—_ we'd come to realize that there was no point in waiting for you. There wasn't much to do waiting for you, so the Death Eaters might have just slowly dissolved, or we would have made a plan to continue the Death Eaters' cause without you."

"Lucky for you, fate brought me to this point of my life." Gemini muttered, throwing away her coffee cup at the nearby bin as they passed.

"Yes, lucky." Leo smiled. He threw his cup as well. "So…have you and Longbottom ever been here on a date?"

She scowled. "Why? What's it to you?"

"Defensive, aren't we?" Leo said. "You know, I don't think you and him weren't meant to be."

"Humor me, then. Why is that?"

"He's nice. _Too nice._ And no matter which way you put it, you're not."

"I'm not a nice person?" Gemini asked warily.

He stopped walking and turned to her. "No. You're an ambitious, manipulative, selfish young woman who will stop at nothing to get what she wants and is prone to bouts of bad judgement that Longbottom mistook for some hidden goodness inside of you." He said matter-of-factly.

"Wow…" Gemini said slowly. "And Cassio, Teddy, and Arnold thought it would be easier to just call me pretty on the first date."

" _Beautiful,_ actually." He said, placing a gentle hand on her cheek. He caressed her face, his thumb tracing her lower lip ever so softly. "I meant what I said. But Gemini, that doesn't have to make you a bad person. We live in a world with those who know what they want and those who do anything to get what they want. You're not a bad person for wanting what you want, and I'll be damned if anyone—Longbottom included—ever told you otherwise."

Gemini remembered how most of her squabbles with Arnold were about her contradicting beliefs in what was good and what was bad. _Now that I think about it, was I really a bad person for wanting a world ruled by wizards? Am I really a bad person for saying those things during the interrogation? I'm not evil, I'm ambitious. And Arnold never saw nor understood that._ "So if girls like me aren't meant to be with nice people, then with whom?"

"Simple. Men who are just as ambitious, manipulative, and as selfish as you are."

She scoffed. "Men like you?"

His eyes twinkled in the dark. "Now that you've mentioned it…" He laughed, and even Gemini giggled at his debonair smile. "But really, where do you think you are with Arnold?"

 _Good question,_ Gemini realized when she couldn't answer quickly. She had been so engrossed with surviving and meeting Leo and the plan to enter Hogwarts that she rarely thought about Arnold anymore. She knew Arnold was probably doing the opposite, but now that she was faced with a real question about where she stood with him, she felt her heart drop, but at the same time, felt so much lighter than before.

She sighed. "I don't think I'm ever going to see him again. And when I do, our relationship is sure as over, after everything I've done." She walked slowly, forcing herself to block out their last kiss from her memory. "I think…I think it's been over for quite some time already, actually. I just didn't realize it."

The guilt of being on a date with Leo, the stubborn conscience telling her she had nothing to feel guilty for, and the mixed feelings of finally realizing her old life and old dreams of a normal life was over, and she felt the tears soak her eyes and her knees buckle. Leo quickly caught her and hugged her to keep her from falling.

"Hey, don't worry about Longbottom." Leo whispered in her ear. He was so close that he could smell her flowery-smelling hair. "You're worth a hell lot more than he is. It's going to be okay."

Gemini laughed bitterly. "I know. It just came so suddenly. I haven't cried since I escaped and, well, I guess I just realized that about me and Arnold just now." She quickly wiped the tears on her face and returned Leo's hug, giggling when he wouldn't let go. "I'm fine now. You can let go."

"Just making sure you're okay." He let her go. "I—"

They immediately stopped and turned to the bushes nearby when they heard something shake behind it. Leo pushed her behind him and drew out his wand, aiming at the bush. Gemini placed her hand in her pocket, ready to draw her wand out, until a squirrel came running out the bush and up a nearby tree.

Gemini sighed in relief. "I think we should go back home, Leo. We've been out a long time now."

"Not yet." He took her hand and led her down the path of the park leading to the other side. "There's another reason why I chose this part of London, apart from the coffee and the location. There's something I want you to see."

Leo broke away from the main park path and followed the smaller paths branching out to the more deserted areas of the park. "Oh, and you _dated_ Zabini?" He asked casually. _Too casually,_ Gemini thought amusedly.

"It was nothing." She said indifferently. "Didn't last very long. We thought we'd be the perfect couple: him, Captain of the Quidditch Team, and me, well, perfect in everything else."

"It didn't work and then you moved on to Lupin?" He scoffed. "Honestly, your standards Gemini."

He looked like he both wanted to ask more about it and at the same time looked relieved enough to hear her answer. Instead, he turned away and led her towards a small black gate that opened to the sidewalk of an empty street. The row of houses were dilapidated and grimy, and it looked as though no one lived in any of the houses for a long time.

Gemini looked at Leo, who was staring at the houses. "Where are we going?"

"We're here." Leo motioned at the houses. "Take a closer look."

Gemini looked at the houses. It took her a moment to notice it, but it became pretty obvious when she looked at all of them: all of them were number sequentially, but the number twelve was missing. Thanks to her history classes, she knew where they were. She looked at Leo's poker face, then at the street sign nearby: _Grimmauld Place._

"We're at Twelve Grimmauld Place." Gemini said.

"Former Headquarters of the Order of the Phoenix until the Second Wizarding War." Leo nodded. "But before that, home to the Most Noble House of Black."

Gemini gasped. "What if they're—"

"Don't worry. I've learned enough from Harry to know nobody goes here anymore. They're not gonna catch us here."

Leo crossed the street, and Gemini followed after. He stopped in the middle of houses eleven and thirteen. "Ever since I found it, I've been trying to get in—"

"How?" Gemini interjected. "Harry Potter inherited it, didn't he?"

"He did, but that's the thing: it opens to him and everyone he's made secret-keeper, but only because Sirius Black gave it to him. There's magic in Sirius' last will that keeps it with him. But it was a strong claim because there was no male Black who wasn't disinherited to claim it, and all the Black who weren't disowned were women carrying their husbands' last names." Leo said thoughtfully. "But when you think about it, the House of Black took extra care to keep the bloodlines pure, so I thought…"

Gemini understood. "You thought the magic that kept the house owned by the family would overpower Sirius' will?"

"It's just a thought." He shrugged. "I thought that since I'm a pureblood and a Black, I could open the house. Apparently our ancestors took disowned Blacks into consideration as well when they hid the place. But you, on the other hand, you're the last legitimate Black in the family line. And I figured…"

Gemini immediately understood and turned to look at the blank wall. She put her hand on the wall and thought, _I am Gemini Black, daughter of Bellatrix Black and the last legitimate scion of the House of Black. Open up._

In response, the walls seemed to expand, pushing the other houses to the side until a black door appeared in front of her. Leo chuckled. "That was one hell of a theory. After you."

Gemini opened the door and entered. As soon as Leo closed the door behind them, she heard a rumbling sound coming from the house. "What was that?"

"Just a theory as well, but it sounds like the spells are clashing." Leo said, gently nudging Gemini to the wall so they were standing side-by-side on the narrow hallway. "The first spell used by the Blacks to keep this house within the family and the magic that keeps Harry Potter the owner of this house. It might be a clash to see who the real owner is."

"Then it's a good thing we're not staying long." Gemini said tightly. "We're in the house already, we might as well see what's in here."

She took Leo's hand and walked down the hallway. "Good, because I know the one room we should see." Leo said as he caught up with her. "Father told me about it once, and it's right…there! The one next to the staircase."

Leo led the way and opened the door. The room was as dusty and worn-out as the rest of the house, and though the ceilings are floor were nearly decaying, the walls seemed to be like they were dusted and retouched just before they arrived. Unlike the dark, plain, drab walls outside the room, the walls in this room were intricately painted with small faces and tiny words under it. Gemini looked at one of the painted faces near the door and realized it was like a family tapestry of the Black Family, but bigger and down to the oldest Black dating back to medieval England.

Gemini easily found her name, thanks to her cousin Draco and his mother, Narcissa. They were the only blondes in a group of brunettes, so they easily caught her attention even from across the room. She traced Narcissa Malfoy to her mother, Bellatrix, and just beneath her was a tiny description bearing her father's name and, below that, her own name with a pale painting of her face.

Next to her face were her cousins, Draco Malfoy and Nymphadora Tonks. Below them were their children, Scorpius Malfoy and Edward Lupin. She nearly gagged at the memory of Teddy, but she coughed the feeling away. She noticed others in the tapestry, portraits of purebloods still distantly related to the Blacks. Everywhere she turned, she recognized at least one Slytherin she grew up with in Hogwarts. Not far from her, she saw Abigail's face underneath her father's.

She looked back at Leo, and noticed the disappointed look on his face. He looked hopelessly around the room, and Gemini suddenly knew why he looked sad. "I thought you said your parents won my mother's approval." She said.

"They did." He said quietly. "I guess it wasn't enough."

"Leo…"

At that moment, Gemini had no idea what pushed her to do it. But she walked back to him tiptoed, and kissed him lightly on the cheek.

"Thank you." Gemini mumbled. "From my parents to yours. From me to you. For everything you've done."

He smiled bitterly. "You're bloody welcome. It's a hell lot of work, you know." He laughed softly. The room rumbled again, and this time, they felt the floor shake. He looked at the room, a tight smile on his face. "Why don't we get out of here?"

Gemini nodded. Leo wrapped an arm around her shoulders and Gemini smiled at him as she placed her hand on his and the two walked out.

Along the hall, they passed by a covered portrait. The portrait murmured incoherently, but as they passed, Gemini caught one sentence: _Restore the line._ She looked back at the space on the wall and wondered if, that too, was as enchanted as the tapestry room and knew she was here. _And if it did, then what did it mean by that?_


	56. A Lead Arnold Would Rather Not Know Of

Chapter 16

"Are you sure it's her?"

"Definitely. I saw her with Arnold here a few months back in my restaurant. You know I can't forget a pretty face. Yep, the picture may not look like it, but that's definitely her."

Harry turned to Arnold. "Well, Arnold?" He turned the photo to him. "What do you think?"

He only had to look at the photo for a moment. The Muggle "smartphone's" photos did not move, so the picture was blurred, but Gemini's face was clear enough for Arnold to know her a mile away. "That's her, alright." He said quietly.

"How did you find them, Dean?" Harry asked

"Told 'ya, mate. I get my tomatoes from the grocer a few houses down Grimauld Place and when I passed I saw them pop out from between the houses. She was with that guy. I was going to try and stop them, but I thought it was dangerous and—"

"You did the right thing, Dean." Harry assured him. "You couldn't have risked getting into a duel, especially not with the two of them against you alone. Not with your baby on the way. But thank you for sending the photos."

Dean nodded grimly. "Anytime, Harry. Good luck to us all."

"And to us all." Harry nodded. "Is there anything else you noticed, Dean?"

He shook his head. "I was standing far away so I couldn't hear what they were saying. Obviously they were kind of cheerful about something, but apart from Gemini laughing about something, I couldn't get a thing. But the man's hair is black, not blonde though."

"That's definitely Malcolm." Harry said, pointing at the picture. "He must have dyed his hair at one point for a disguise. Were his eyes blue?"

"Couldn't tell. But Gemini's eyes weren't red, Harry."

"Well, now that she's met Malcolm, she must know that the map's destroyed. She may try to perform Dark Arts now, we have that for certain. She may or may not know Hermione's trying to make a second one." Harry sighed. "Still, it's more information than we knew yesterday. Thank you, Dean."

Dean gulped, glancing nervously at Arnold. "There's something else. It might be useless, but…"

"Any lead would be good by now."

"Well…I think…I think the two could possibly be dating." Dean said slowly. "I'm not certain, but look at the way he placed his arm around her. Plus there was the way she laughed at something he said. And then there was the way he looked at her. She looked like she was having fun, but his face…"

"Okay. We'll take that in mind." Harry said quickly. "Thanks, Dean."

"Until next time, Harry. Arnold." Dean quickly left the room, which was silent as Harry observed Arnold's face.

"We can't possibly know that from that picture." Harry said uneasily. "It might be nothing, Arnold."

Arnold grimaced. "The first time I saw Gemini…well, I think she acted a lot like her father: it was hard for her to love. She didn't love Teddy, she desired him. And the first time I told her I liked her, she looked like she wanted to claw my face out. Merlin only knows why she let me walk her to the train." He looked somberly at the printed photo. "If she can smile and laugh for this Malcolm guy…I'm not so sure anymore, Harry."

Harry felt sorry for Arnold. No matter how evil Gemini had become, Arnold would never stop falling in love with the girl he knew in Hogwarts. And no matter how much Harry tried, Arnold could never separate Gemini Black and Gemini Ridley. And Harry couldn't blame him. "We'll find them eventually, Arnold. Doesn't matter what those two are together."

But Arnold wasn't listening anymore. _Doesn't matter what those two are together…if only I knew which couple you meant, Harry._


	57. Ulterior Motive

Chapter 17

 _Two Weeks Later_

Everyone knew Abigail Flint. Daughter of business magnate, pureblood supremacist, and allegedly (but acquitted) Voldemort supporter Marcus Flint, Abigail was a popular figure in high wizarding society. She was also known as Gemini Black's former best friend; after Gemini's arrest, nobody seemed to remember that. Nonetheless, the most fashionable amongst the young elite witches, even garbed in a mink winter parka, white pants, and fur boots, and accompanied by one bodyguard pulling a large travelling bag, Abigail Flint was still recognizable as she passed through the wall.

Her arrival at Platform 9 and ¾ startled David Darcy, the guard on duty at the time. He was caught off guard that he nearly stumbled trying to get to his feet. He blushed at his blunder, but Abigail looked at him indifferently. With the snow blowing past them, she looked like the perfect Ice Queen.

"I'm here to see Headmaster Flitwick." Abigail said sharply, glancing at the train. "I assume we'll be leaving immediately?"

"Uhh, ma'am…"

"Preferably in this century." She said impatiently.

"Ms. Flint," Darcy said more calmly. "Headmaster Flitwick is not in Hogwarts at the moment. The school has been closed for the year due to the parents' withdrawal of students—"

"Yes, yes, because they're all scared of that bitch Gemini Black." Abigail snapped. "That is _exactly_ why I want to see the Headmaster."

 _She's too young to have a child!_ "Your…your child?"

"No!" She shot at him, motioning at the station around her. "All of this! Gemini Black is a disgrace to the name of wizardry and to Slytherin House. She graduated the school with everyone expecting her to reach for the stars and instead she made a fool of herself, besmirched everyone connected to her, and is now disrupting everything! I _demand_ Headmaster Flitwick revoke that Best Student Award of hers, as well as every plaque and award with her name on it. Several Slytherins and I have agreed that our and our future children's awards will not be in the same room as hers, and I want to demand the Headmaster crown the award to whoever was the next choice for the awards Gemini probably stole!"

 _I hope you think you don't mean yourself,_ Darcy thought disgustedly. "Yes, well, nonetheless madam, the Headmaster is not in Hogwarts—"

"Then call him." She motioned to his post. "I see you've got an owl on-hand. I can wait."

It was all he could do to keep his cool. "Right. One moment, madam."

He wanted to take his sweet time and watch her squirm and wait, but he didn't want to face the consequences of crossing a wealthy pureblood like her, and the sooner she was gone, the better. He went back to his post, quickly scribbled a note to Headmaster Flitwick, and sent it off with his owl. A few feet away from his post, Abigail and her bodyguard were seated on the bench, the girl staring impatiently at the train, almost willing it to start leaving. Darcy slowly found himself doing the same, so long as the whiny Ms. Flint went along with it.

Finally, thirty minutes in, Abigail was looking almost agitated, and even the bodyguard was getting stressed out with her loud complaints. Luckily, the owl flew back. Darcy opened the reply, read it, and sighed in relief.

"Ms. Flint, the Hogwarts Express is ready to take you to Hogsmeade, but unfortunately, at such short notice, the Headmaster cannot be in Hogwarts until tomorrow afternoon." Darcy said. "You may take the train today, but we recommend you take the train tomorrow so not to have to spend two nights in Hogsmeade."

Abigail looked perplexed. "Wait, _two_ nights?"

"Yes ma'am." Darcy nodded. "There's only one ride to and from Hogsmeade daily, and based from the time of Headmaster Flitwick, there won't be a train to take you back to London afterwards until the morning after that. If you'll follow me, I'll show you the time schedules—"

"That won't be necessary." Abigail said sharply. "We'll go. Today. Good thing I didn't follow daddy's suggestion and didn't pack lightly."

 _As long as you are out of this station in the next five minutes._ "Very well, Ms. Flint. If you and your bodyguard step into a train car, I'll inform the operator to begin the trip to Hogsmeade."

"About time." Abigail said loftily, turning abruptly and walking away.

"Ms. Flint has a daily afternoon nap which shall begin in a few minutes. Please inform the train personnel that no one is to disturb Ms. Flint's car during the trip there." The bodyguard said in a deep voice.

Abigail turned around, glanced at the bodyguard, and nodded. "Right. And I'll need my facemask, so don't leave my bag in the carriage. I'm sure there's enough room for it in the car, just place it beside you or something, Heathcliff." She muttered patronizingly, "Merlin knows these people don't make enough and could steal my belongings if they could."

Darcy watched them enter the train. _Good riddance._

~0~

He closed the door behind them before drawing out his wand. He muttered the incantation, clouding up the glass doors and windows before he took his shades off. He watched her take one of the flasks out of her smaller bag and reluctantly tip the opening to her lips, but he placed a hand on the hole before she could drink it. "You better save it, Gem. If we're going to be out of the house for two days, we better make that Polyjuice count." Leo said, gesturing at himself as his hair turned from dark brown to black and grew significantly. "Don't worry, they won't be bothering us for the rest of the trip. And seriously, _Heathcliff?_ "

"Better Heathcliff than Tootsie." Gemini said. The fog on the window made the glass reflective, and she could see her hair grow longer and darker, her features turning into herself again.

Leo grunted, setting aside the bag on one side of his seat. "Maybe I'll play the rich bitch next time."

~0~

Sure enough, nobody bothered them during the train ride to Hogsmeade. It was like a cramped version of being confined in the Flint Summerhouse, but Gemini knew that, this time, she shouldn't dare try going out. She looked across her, at Leo, who was staring broodingly out the window. He noticed she was looking at him, and he smiled back at her. "What are you thinking?" He asked.

"There's something you're not telling me, is there?"

Leo paled. He coughed lightly before gaining his composure. "Why would you say that?"

"There's something in the way…the way you've been looking at me sometimes." Gemini said carefully. "When I met you in the library, in Grimauld Place—you seemed like you were about to tell me something, but decided against it."

"Oh…that. Well, it's not important." He said evasively.

"Tell me anyway."

"Really…"

" _Tell_ me."

He looked at her and thought, _I could never keep anything from her. Not now._ He sighed. "I'll tell you everything you ask." He said.

"Okay…why did your parents look for me?" Gemini asked.

"I told you…"

"That's it, you told me, but looking back, it doesn't make sense." Gemini said thoughtfully. "I understand why Draco looked for me; he did it out of guilt for what he had done years ago. And yet your parents…so determined to hide they were disowned Blacks, so determined to win my mother's approval, and yet, my mother was dead when they tried to find me."

"That's because the prophecy—"

"Prophecies aren't set in stone. And…and they knew that, didn't they?" Gemini interrogated. "They risked their lives and their secrets to find a daughter who may not have been, as you said, the Dark Lord's Heiress, and who may not even successfully bring back her father—because let's face it, without Rodolphus giving me clues this whole thing would have been pointless. So what was their reason for looking for me? What solid purpose could they possibly have to risk everything for me?"

Leo sighed. "Do you really want to know the answer to that?" Gemini nodded. "Bringing your father back was not their main mission. I lied about them finding out about you because of Rodolphus. That's the story I told everyone. In truth, they knew about you even before the Battle of Hogwarts. But they weren't originally interested in you because you were the Dark Lord's child, but because you were Bellatrix's child. They only said otherwise because they wanted the Death Eaters' help. They would never have revitalized the group for my parents' goals."

"Which was?" Gemini asked warily.

"To restore the line of the House of Black."

Gemini sat there, speechless. She didn't speak for a long period of time, and Leo grimaced. "Let me explain." He started. "My father and your mother were quite keen on the idea of restoring the house of Black. It was what father used to get close to Bellatrix, but I'm sure he believed it as well. I'm a Black, and any children I have with any woman I chose will be a Black. But there are some—purebloods especially—who will not consider me and my children a Black, even with my pureblood views that the Blacks had. You've seen the tapestry.

"You, on the other hand, are the last Black on the family tree. You are born a Black, but the moment you marry, you change your name and your future descendants will be on the tapestry—so long as you marry a pureblood—but they will not be Blacks, and that will be the end of the line. _You_ are the end of the line. I hope you can see where I'm going with this."

Gemini felt her hands begin to shake. Part of her felt betrayed, like she couldn't even stand to be in the same compartment as Leo, but she remained seated, wanting to examine where his loyalty truly lied. "I'd rather hear the words from you." She said tightly.

"Our parents…my parents and your mother…betrothed you and me." Leo said weakly. "Seventeen years ago. I was seven when your mother sent for me. That was the only time I ever saw her. She gave me this extensive lecture on why I should marry you and why it was important that you and I restored the House of Black. I'm a pureblood and I share my parents' pureblood views, so if I married you and had a child, you wouldn't be blasted off and at the same time our child would have been a descendant of the families Black and Slytherin and all the other families we're related to—the perfect unity of a pureblood family."

"My _mother_ helped plan this?"

Leo nodded. "Sort of. The plan wasn't totally constructed, it was just that idea that we be betrothed and eventually married. Bellatrix promised my father they would discuss about it after the Dark Lord won the war and she could focus on rebuilding a pureblood society—starting with you and me. But, as you know, she didn't make it, so my parents have been planning on their own ever since."

"So all this," Gemini looked around the compartment, "is just some elaborate plan to bring the family back?"

"If my parents were alive." Leo corrected. "When they were in charge, they didn't care about bringing the Dark Lord back. That was their mistake, not mine. Whether or not their plan pushes through, I can see the importance of bringing him back. They didn't. No, Gemini, I'm not manipulating you. I _am_ helping you bring your father back."

"How can I trust you?" Gemini asked suspiciously. "When every time you flirt with me or try to get in my pants, I'll always take it as you trying to fulfill your own mission?"

Leo was quick to take Gemini's hand in his. "Because I would never lie to you, Gemini—at least, I wouldn't lie to you about this. I never told any of the Death Eaters about this and I planned not telling you about this even when I wanted to because I know that isn't what you're after. You were after your father's revival, so I made sure that was the only thing you were after, nothing about this betrothal nonsense. I'm here at your command. Please believe that."

Despite the cold weather, Leo's hand felt warm in hers, and, after all he's said and done, despite his quirks and imperfections, Gemini knew she could trust him. "I trust you." She said quietly.

Leo gave her hand a soft squeeze and let go. "Thank you." He leaned back on his seat.

Still, Gemini still had to clear things up. "So…are we still betrothed?"

He laughed softly. "Your mother and my parents, the instigators of this betrothal, are gone, Gemini." He said sardonically. He gave her a mocking, seductive smile. "But you're a beautiful girl. I wouldn't say no if you asked nicely."

Gemini rolled her eyes. "Charming." She said dryly. "One last question: why are you doing this for me, not for your parents' cause?"

Leo sat there thoughtfully until finally he spoke. "You know how I feel about Muggles and Muggle-borns. Your father's the only one who had the guts to do something about it. I figured that there was no point in a wizarding community while it's still unclean. You will bring him back, and then he will control the Muggles and create the perfect wizarding society he once visioned."

"And that society is?"

"One where we control the Muggles." He shrugged, like it was the most obvious thing in the world. "For the greater good and all that."

"For the greater good." Gemini repeated, remembering just how well Arnold took it when she mentioned those words. She looked at Leo, feeling finally relieved there was someone who shared her sentiments.

"Gemini?" Leo asked. "Once we get to Hogsmeade, what do you plan to do to get the Stone? You haven't exactly been detailed about what we do after arriving there."

"Yeah…about that…my plan pretty much ends when this train stops." Gemini said weakly. "The next part of my plan's pretty much a theory and I hope it works, but so far, it's not really that concrete."

Leo looked at her, shocked and nervous that that was her definition of a plan. He opened his mouth to speak, but decided against it, sighed, and laid down on his side of the compartment. "I hope you know what you're doing." He said flatly.

Gemini looked at her reflection at the window. _You and I both._


	58. Dreams

Chapter 18

Contrary to popular belief, Madam Rosmerta did not live in the Three Broomsticks; she lived in a house in one of the lesser-known streets in Hogsmeade. With the school closed down, the high street was closed as well, so it had taken Gemini and Leo, in their Polyjuice disguises of Abigail and a buff Muggle Nate Montague stole hairs from, a long time before Madam Rosmerta arrived at the inn, opened it, turned on the pub, and had her housekeeper open up a room for them.

Gemini looked at Leo, worried about the time it was taking to get into the room. They assumed it would only take less than half an hour to get settled in their rooms, so she had only drank less Polyjuice than she would have liked. Leo gave her a look as if telling her to calm down. Finally, Madam Rosmerta returned to the bar they were sitting by.

"Well, unfortunately at such short notice most of our rooms are unfit for occupancy at the moment, Ms. Flint. We just had Room 1 cleaned for you and your bodyguard. We're bringing over one extra cot—"

"I'd prefer sleeping in my room with my own bathroom." Gemini said in Abigail's nasally voice. "You sure you can't open up another room for him? You know I can pay double, if that's what you're after."

"Err…" Madam Rosmerta looked at the harried-looking housekeeper, who had less than fifteen minutes to dust and clean a room that took an hour to clean. "We could open up one of the bigger rooms. The biggest one's a suite with two bedrooms, but that would take another hour's wait…"

Gemini felt a twinge at the back of her neck, the same one she felt in the compartment in the Hogwarts Express, and soon enough she felt Leo place his hat over her head, covering most of her hair. "That will do, ma'am." He said with a grin, wrapping his arm around her waist. "We assume your inn is one of privacy and no one—especially her parents—will find out about this arrangement?"

Madam Rosmerta looked at both of them. "No, sir."

"Good. We'll be in Room 1." He took her by the waist and led her with one arm and pulled at her bag with the other.

"Alright…" Madam Rosmerta said unsurely. "Housekeeping'll clean up the room every nine…" She stopped, realizing they weren't listening anymore.

"What the hell, Heathcliff!" Gemini whispered loudly enough for Madam Rosmerta to hear it. "What ever happened to keeping it a secret?"

"Who's she going to tell?" He countered. "No one's going to believe this, anyway."

She giggled as they went up the stairs and into room one, which was a small square room with a simple double bed, a tiny bathroom, and a small window that had no view but the side wall of the Zonko's next door. Leo immediately pulled the curtains over the window. Gemini took off the hat in front of the mirror and saw her black hair fall down just as her face stopped resembling Abigail's.

"Abby's gonna kill us if that rumor spreads." Gemini muttered falling horizontally onto the bed. Leo did the same beside her, and his face was upside down next to hers. She smirked at him. "I get the left side."

"Fine with me. But what do we do now, Gem?"

She sighed. "I honestly don't know. I didn't expect we'd get this far so easily. All I know is that Rodolphus told me to find the Resurrection Stone, and I know the Resurrection Stone is in Hogwarts. I know Harry dropped it somewhere in the Forbidden Forest. _How_ to find it, though…"

"Hey, don't worry about it." Leo assured her. "We've got two days. We'll figure something out. Let's just stay here tonight and figure something out."

Gemini looked up at the ceiling. "This is going to be harder than I thought..."

~0~

She dreamt she was in the darkness. At least, she originally thought it was the darkness, until she saw the pockets of faint light streaming from different places overhead. She realized the place was a forest when she saw the trees, only…they didn't look like normal trees to her. They were thicker than normal trees and they were three times bigger than the biggest trees she saw. She looked down, only to see that her face was already touching the ground, which was filled with varying sizes of stone, leaves, and whatever could be found in forests. She couldn't find her legs. She tried moving forward, but it was as if she had to slide to one side first before moving forward, and then sliding again before she could move forward. She turned around, looking for the rest of her body, but she only saw a long scaly tail.

 _Am I a snake?_ Gemini thought. She tried moving her hand in front of her, only to find the end of a tail swinging in front of her. _I'm a snake._

She heard the whispers. It was the faintest of whispers, an inaudible murmur Gemini had to lean to her left just to get hear the softest sound of it. She followed the voice, swerving around the large trees to listen if it got louder or fainter.

By the time Gemini reached a clearing of trees, the whispers were murmurs of countless people, their voices straining to be heard. The clearing was mostly stony debris, with broken ropes hanging limp from several trees next to broken pieces of what Gemini thought looked like metal. The ground was uneven, like someone had dug holes in several places, and as Gemini went around the clearing to listen in on the voices, she swore she could hear the sound of leaves being stepped on behind her. Gemini took one look at one end, trying to focus beyond the trees, and she realized where she was. She knew she was not alone.

Gemini darted towards the voice the moment she heard it grow louder. The whispers still sounded distant, but it grew louder and more hollow-like as she moved forward. She slithered onwards until finally the whispers were loud voices, each trying to talk above the chatter.

That was when she heard the footsteps behind her stop.

She turned around and saw it. The figure towered over her. It was so tall that any one of its four feet—at least, Gemini thought it was its feet towered over her. The large body was staring directly at her, its weapon aim towards her. Before she could react, the creature released the weapon, launching its arrow into her. The whispers stopped, and all Gemini saw was darkness.

That was, until, a few seconds later. She opened her eyes and saw she was taller now, almost as tall as the centaur that looked down on the corpse of a dead snake with an arrow spiked in its head. She felt more powerful as well, burning with so much anger that she knew her eyes were red. The centaur didn't see her yet, still focused on the dead snake below his feet. Gemini lunged at him. She felt her mouth open and sunk her fangs into him, and the centaur's pained screams gave her an oddly-relaxing feeling. She withdrew, only for her to lunge at him again and again until most of his body parts were punctured with large, bloody holes.

She looked behind her and saw a long serpent's tail, bigger than the last snake. With one swift move, she wrapped her tail around the centaur's body, squeezing him tighter as she continued to coil around him. The centaur dropped his bow, struggling to get her off his body, but Gemini sunk her teeth into his neck and within seconds the centaur stopped struggling.

Gemini uncurled herself from the body, which fell dead on the ground. The whispers were coming back, but instead of blasting in her ears, it was whispering again, though she looked around and realized it was coming from somewhere specific. It was behind her, and Gemini slithered over until she heard it coming right under her belly.

And then she saw it. Among the tiny pebbles, it was darker, shinier, and significantly bigger, and thus it stood out more. Gemini approached it slowly, hovering over it, and the whispers faded, growing softer as though it knew she could see it. But as she got closer, the stones around it seemed to darken as well, until it looked like she was looking over a black puddle of water. That was when she saw the reflection of the serpent's head, which looked so familiar yet at the same time so incredibly deadly.

 _Orion!_ Gemini wanted to scream, but the reflection merely opened its mouth and hissed.

Gemini gasped for air as she quickly sat up from the bed, partially choking and shouting as she struggled to control her breathing. She felt disoriented from sitting up too quickly, and the dream seemed so real that it took her a moment to remember that she was still in the Three Broomsticks. She felt something stir beside her, followed by her right hand being grabbed from underneath the covers.

"Gemini!" She heard Leo say softly. She heard a click and the lamp on his side of the bed lit up, and he sat up next to her. He placed a hand behind her back, sliding it up and down as she tried to control her fast breathing. She felt her hands and realized she was shaking profusely. "Breathe…just relax, Gemini…it was just a dream…"

She turned to him. The curtains were closed and the light in the hallway that slipped under the door was gone, and with the old lamp their only source of light, it was still quite dim. "I don't think it was just a dream." She said quietly. "I think…I think I saw something."

Leo didn't talk until Gemini calmed down. When she did, he got out of bed and poured her a glass of water. Gemini glanced discreetly at a shirtless Leo, whose lean abs seemed more sculpted in the dark. After Gemini drank the water and calmed down, Leo hopped back into bed and checked to see if she was okay.

"What happened to you?" Leo asked gently.

"I don't know, but I think it has something to do with being a descendant of Slytherin, seeing as I probably just entered the mind of a snake." Gemini thought. "Parseltongue isn't the only thing I've inherited, is it?"

Leo smirked. "Not if what Harry said was true and you can turn your eyes red." He shook his head. "Salazar Slytherin was a powerful wizard, and his family is just as such. There's a lot more serpent-esque gifts you have, and Parseltongue is just the most popular one."

Gemini sighed, slowly falling back and resting her head on her pillow. "You can't teach me this stuff, can you?"

Leo smiled sadly at her, propping his head up with his arm resting on his pillow. "Unfortunately, the Black Family's as far as I can go: Astronomy, family tree, all that. Perhaps your father will teach you everything about your family in time."

"Perhaps." Gemini said. "Goodnight."

"Goodnight, Gemini." Leo tossed and turned to face the other end of the bed, turning off the lamp before settling on the other side of the bed.

Gemini tried to go back to sleep, but after seeing herself in the eyes of a killer snake, it was hard to drift off. Whenever she closed her eyes, she could see the centaur's body falling, and she would be so unnerved that she grabbed onto the pillows, the blankets, anything she could find to remind herself that she was awake. Finally, she groaned in frustration.

"Can't sleep?" She heard Leo mumbling under his pillow.

She explained what had happened, and when she was done, she felt Leo turn on his side again. In the dark, she could see his dark eyes looking at hers. He raised his left hand, slipping it under the space between her neck and her pillow. Gemini's felt herself moving closer towards him, but she jerked away.

"Uh…what are you doing?" Gemini said, thankful that it was too dark for him to see her cheeks redden.

"You're not going to fall asleep grasping at the mattress and then yanking at it when you start to drift off. If you're afraid of going to sleep, you can hold onto me until you fall asleep." Leo said. Gemini was surprised his voice was devoid of the flirtatious, playful tone he used whenever he tried to get her into situations such as these. _It was almost as if he cared about me really falling asleep,_ she thought. As though he read her mind, Leo continued. "If we're going to find the Stone tomorrow with no lead at all, I need you to be on your A-game tomorrow in the Forbidden Forest. We know no one's in Hogwarts, but Merlin knows what's still in that forest. We'll be searching for the Stone _and_ avoiding whatever's in there."

Gemini exhaled. Whether or not this was some ploy of his, he _did_ have a point. She curled up closer to him, resting her head near his shoulder, placing one hand over his chest, and crossing her legs close to his. She waited for him to say something inappropriate, but he wordlessly wrapped his left arm around her, placing his hand lightly on her shoulder, and his warm hand over her other hand.

Finally, she heard him sigh. "Better?" He asked.

"Yeah, actually." Gemini said tightly. She hated to admit it, but he was right. He was warm enough that she knew it would be easier to fall asleep knowing that she was dreaming. "Just until I fall asleep."

" _You're welcome._ "

"Oh please. You're enjoying this." Gemini accused.

"I'm not even going to deny that." He laughed quietly.

"No, because that would be lying." Gemini said. "But… _thank you._ "

"You're very welcome." Leo said. "Goodnight, Gemini."

"Goodnight. Oh, and Leo…" Gemini mumbled, the drowsiness creeping back in her eyes.

"Yeah?"

"I know where the Stone is."


	59. Quest for the Stone

Chapter 19

" _Excuse me?_ " Leo said, blocking the door. "You're mad if you think I'm going to let you wander the Forbidden Forest on your own."

"I'm not _wandering,_ I'm _searching._ " Gemini retorted. "And I _have_ to do this alone, Leo."

"And why is that?"

"Because of what's in there."

He rolled his eyes and scoffed. "You say that as though I've never been to the forest."

"Ever seen a centaur?"

"No…"

"Well I have. Last night. I killed it…or at least, I saw Orion kill it."

"Who's Orion?"

"My pet Amazonian Emerald, remember? The snake I spoke to when I let slip that I could speak Parseltongue? And trust me when I say he doesn't take kindly to strangers."

Leo looked at her like she was high or something. Gemini exhaled. "Look, we both know what's in the Forbidden Forest, and I can't go there in with you because I'll always have to look out for you. With Orion and the centaurs and god knows what broke out of those ropes I saw, I really think it's a lot better if I'm on my own while looking for the stone."

"You know I'm not above killing any magical creature that tries to harm me."

"And if you kill Orion, I'm not above killing you." Gemini said evenly. "No matter how deadly he is, he's still my snake. There's always a special bond between a girl and her pet."

"Or it might be because of the person who gave you…"

"Shut it. And no, it's not because Arnold gave me Orion." Gemini tried to slide past Leo, but he blocked her, gently pushing her back. Gemini rolled her eyes and groaned.

"You know that's not one of your safest ideas." Leo said. "Getting here with no plan was risky enough. I can't let you go in that forest alone. For all we know, that dream you had is nothing but a dream. Do you really think I'd let you go in alone because of something as uncertain as that?"

"I think you should, yeah. Because I may be younger than you, but I'm not a child. Before I met you, I always thought I was going to do this on my own, and if you hadn't found me, I'm pretty sure I'd be on my own in the forest already, looking for that stone." Gemini stared seriously into his eyes. "You've got to trust that I'm going to be fine on my own in that forest. I've escaped Aurors and Azkaban even before I knew I wasn't alone, and I feel like I'd do better if I weren't constantly worrying or looking at you and would only worry about my own safety. I know it's not the most convincing way of telling you to let me go, but you've really got to trust me on this, Leo."

Leo looked at her unsurely, but finally, he exhaled. "Of course I trust you, Gemini." He said softly. "Fine. You can go alone, but I'm walking with you to the Hogwarts gate."

"Fair enough. Thank you." Gemini said.

Leo nodded. They looked out the window and saw that the sky was getting lighter. "We better get going. Don't forget your Polyjuice."

They drank from one of their bottles before heading out of the Three Broomsticks. The high street was still dark with fresh blanket of snow covering the streets, but they could see light blue just creeping behind the mountains on the school's background. To stay warm, both of them wore all-black outfits, Gemini's a black tank top under a black jacket with jeans and boots. During the quiet walk along the path going to the Hogwarts gate, Gemini nervously fiddled with her mother's necklace. She was more nervous about going alone than she let Leo know, but she really knew she'd do a lot better if she went on her own.

They reached the gate just as the dark sky was starting to get brighter. "Once you're in, don't take the Polyjuice until you have to leave the forest." Leo instructed. "Don't be afraid to use the Killing Curse when necessary. And make sure—"

"I think I've got it covered, Leo." Gemini smirked. She looked at the locked gate. "It might be enchanted."

"I think so too." Leo agreed. "Can't you apparate?"

"Hogsmeade's a no-apparating zone, remember?"

"Right." He looked at the high walls and grinned. "I can give you a boost to climb the wall. Good thing we didn't skip arm day before we left."

Leo lowered his hands and Gemini stepped on them, balancing herself by placing her hands on his shoulders. He grunted as he carried her over his head. He was so fast that Gemini panicked and her boot slipped from his hand and stumbled. Leo caught her at the last second, placing his right arm under her back and his left arm around her legs.

"Don't _ever_ do that again." Gemini wheezed.

"Noted." Leo winced. "Pretty sure you dislodged something down there."

Gemini wrapped her left arm around Leo, only to realize her face was too close to his. She smiled, motioning slightly with her legs and he helped her down. "Let's do that again. But _slower._ "

Leo took her feet in his hands again, and lifted her slowly. She pushed her hands off his shoulders, and when he raised his hand as far as he could, he gave a tap on her boots. Gemini tried to reach the top of the wall, but it was a few inches away from her fingertips. "You think you can throw me up?" She called out.

Leo groaned, but Gemini felt herself lower slightly before she felt Leo throw her upwards. Gemini grabbed firmly onto the ledge and bent her knees, placing her boots firmly on the wall. She carried herself upwards, raising one leg onto to the ledge, and slowly pulled herself upwards until she finally made it sitting on top of the wall. She could see the pathway heading to the castle, but she took one look at the grounds and knew she had to take the more discreet path to the Forbidden Forest using the trees on the grounds. She looked down the other side of the wall, grateful that there were a few bushes that would soften her blow when she jumped inside.

"Alright there, Gemini?" Leo called. Gemini nodded. "I'll see you at the room, later. Good luck."

Gemini swung her legs over to face the other side of the wall before pushing herself down. It was a soft blow on her feet, but she was relieved no part of her was seriously hurt. She walked onwards, staying along the areas covered in trees until she reached the back of the school where the Forbidden Forest was.

Unlike the rest of the trees she passed, there was something ominous-looking about the trees in the Forbidden Forest that she knew she was inside of it the moment when she stepped in. The trees were blackish-brown, and the leaves were closer to black than green. The trees domed the forest roof so much that there was no snow on the ground, though it was unnaturally chilly. As Gemini walked around the forest, she'd hear the crackling of leaves from time to time, only to make her walk faster.

She was looking for any familiar tree, anything she saw in her dream that would lead her to the stone. From time to time, Gemini would stop and try to listen for the whispers she heard in her dream, but it became apparent after an hour into searching, when she was getting tired of searching and the Polyjuice had worn out and she had to tie her scraggly hair into a ponytail, that she was going to have to find the spot on her own. Part of her regretted not bringing Leo along. He was proving to be a valuable ally. He had his quirks and Gemini knew his devotion to her mission was nothing compared to her mother's devotion to her father, but he was helpful, as far as getting the Ministry off her back was concerned.

Gemini stopped and shook her head, telling herself to focus on finding the Stone. That was when she saw it, wrapped around a wide tree not that far away from her: a piece of white rope tied around the trunk. She ran towards the tree, and behind it, she found the clearing she saw in her dreams. Her heart felt so much lighter. _It wasn't just a dream,_ she thought triumphantly, _it was real! So that means…_

Though she was running in her dreams, Gemini could remember where she went. The trees and the direction she went looked familiar that she began running towards the stone. She stopped when she entered a smaller clearing and saw the blackened body of a centaur on the ground.

The centaur's face was frozen in a mask of fear, the dried blood caked on its body that seemed to come from abnormally large puncture holes looking more unnaturally black than red. Gemini almost retched at the sight of the body, relieved that the corpse had not started to smell, and she passed around some trees instead of stepping near the corpse to walk over to where the corpse of a small snake was.

The small snake seemed like a common green snake, though it had an arrow lodged in its head. Gemini looked at the snake for one moment before looking down at the roots of a nearby tree, where she saw the black stone in her dream. And just like in her dream, there it was: amidst gray and dark gray stones, it was black and shaped like a square diamond. Gemini picked it up and turned it over. On the other side of the stone, the symbol of the Deathly Hallows was etched on it.

 _The Resurrection Stone,_ Gemini thought solemnly. _At last._

She felt like something was wrong. _It took an hour, but this was easy. Much too easy. Why?_

"What have you done?"

Gemini gasped at the sound of the deep male voice. She looked up and saw him, standing by the trees near the corpse. He was looking down at the corpse, and when he looked at her there was unmasked fury in his eyes. He stepped forward, revealing his horse-like lower body. Gemini reached for her wand, but the centaur lifted his bow and aimed towards her. "I wouldn't think to do that, lass. Not if you don't want me to release this arrow into your heart." He said warningly. "Hands in the air—now!"

She mentally calculated how long it would take her to grab her wand from her pocket and kill him versus the speed it would take for him to let go of the arrow versus the known accuracy of centaurs when it came to archery as well as the probability of her dodging the arrow. No matter which way she put it, there was little chance of her surviving if she tried to fight. She raised her hands above her head. "Obviously, I didn't kill that centaur." Gemini said.

"Yet you stand by my fallen brother, with no reaction?" The centaur accused, stretching the quiver on his bow more. "You're a witch, aren't you?"

"I am."

"And you could have conjured up some dark magic to slaughter my brother?"

"I didn't—"

"Silence!" The centaur yelled. "Every encounter I've had with a wizard only proved our beliefs that our intelligence is superior to yours, yet your powers have left you arrogant and entitled and believing that you have every right to do _this_ to all magical creatures. Disgusting."

"I swear to you, I did not do this!" Gemini said pleadingly.

"Oh, but I know who you are, Gemini Black." The centaur said. Gemini felt a chill at the sound of her name. "Daughter of the Dark Lord Voldemort, wanted by the Ministry. When I call my brothers and we get the justice our brother deserves, you're going to—"

The centaur never got to finish his words as he was attacked by a larger snake. He let go of the arrow, which was off-target yet grazed the side of her face, leaving a small cut on the lower part of her cheek. Gemini fell backwards in pain, clutching at her face, but she managed to look up, at the second centaur who twitched liberally before succumbing to the same fate as his brother.

When the snake was satisfied that the body was no longer moving, it turned to her and stared at her with a curious stare. _Gemini?_

 _Orion?_ The snake slithered towards her and placed his head near her foot. Gemini reached forward and rubbed the skin above its head affectionately. _You've gotten bigger in a month._

 _Yessss…_ Orion hissed. _I have gotten too visssible for urban civilazation, and I knew this wasss the sssafessst wizarding foressst I could go to…_

 _How did you get here?_

 _T'wasss not easssy, consssidering my growing length, but I had a month to get here…_ Orion slid up to her lap. Only a quarter of his body was on hers, yet he was already quite heavier than Gemini remembered. _But enough about me…after you were taken by the Minissstry, I knew I had to leave Arnold…why are you here?_

 _No time to explain. But I'm glad I found you, and I'm taking you with me. I'm here for the Resurrection Stone._ Gemini raised the stone up. _And if the stories are true…_

She flipped the Stone several times in her hand, and as true as the stories went, they stood before her, more opaque than ghosts but not quite human.

Her mother looked slightly older than the portraits of her, but she looked like an older version of Gemini with her even messier hair, dark, heavily-lidded eyes, but her lips were thinner and she looked gaunt and the insanity was visible in her eyes. She wore a long black dress and had the same necklace on her neck. Though she said no words, there was a quiet but fierce pride in the way she looked at Gemini. Gemini looked at her mother, who subtly nodded at her.

Next to her mother, her father resembled the monster she had seen in her dreams. "Your mission is far from over, Gemini." Voldemort said quietly. "Rodolphus was right about your mission, which means you still have so much more to do."

Gemini dropped her hand from her cut and scowled. "And I suppose you're still not going to give me any clues?" In response, her father merely smiled knowingly. "Right. Guessed as much."

"Though you would be wise to keep the Stone in your possession at all costs." Voldemort added. "If you are truly focused in the future, I may feel generous enough to assist you in your mission. Until then, Gemini."

He turned to Bellatrix and nodded, and the two of them disappeared. Gemini huffed and stood up, wiping away the blood that was sliding down her face. She turned to Orion. _My parents,_ she said, rolling her eyes. _I could be living a normal life but noooo._

Orion hissed. _What do we do now?_

Gemini looked around them, at the dead snake and the two dead centaurs. She didn't intend on waiting for a third. _Let's get out of here,_ she said. She traced her way back to the clearing, hoping to find where she started in her dream before walking in one direction until she reached the end of the forest. Without Leo, she didn't know how she'd be able to climb up the walls, but then she remembered her History classes and about the secret tunnel to the Shrieking Shack, which wasn't quite far from the high street, and decided she'd go to the Whomping Willow to get out.

She reached the bigger clearing with the ropes. Getting an idea, Gemini pulled a long bit of string from one of the broken ropes. She used her wand and made a small hole in one end of the Stone before slipping it in the piece of rope. She tied the rope around her wrist, and when she figured it was secure but long enough to turn with one hand, Gemini figured it was secure enough. She looked at one direction of the forest, and then turned to Orion.

 _You think you can climb up and see the nearest place the forest ends?_

Orion nodded before slithering up one of the trees. He returned about a minute later, pointing in one direction. Gemini walked in that direction, and half an hour later, she found himself in the outskirts facing the Whomping Willow. Making sure no one was watching, she poked the knot on the tree, entered the secret passage down to the Shrieking Shack, out the door, and headed back to Hogsmeade.

She was approaching the streets of Hogsmeade, so she reached in her jacket pocket for her bottle of Polyjuice. But just as she was about to tip the bottle to her lips, she saw Leo running towards her from the streets, his wand in his hand. Gemini noticed that he wasn't using Polyjuice, and she felt dreadful knowing that something was wrong.

"Gemini!" Leo called out. He was running fast—too fast for Gemini to stop worrying—towards her. He was running on snow so fast that he almost tackled her, but instead he hugged her tightly, nearly knocking her off her feet. He released her. "Thank Merlin you're out of there. What happened to your face?"

"Bad run-in with a centaur." Gemini said nonchalantly. She turned to Orion. "This is Orion, the one I—"

"That's great, Gemini, but we really must go—now." Leo said abruptly, tugging at her arm.

"Even if we skip Flitwick's meeting, the Hogwarts Express isn't coming in a few hours." Gemini scowled. "Leo…what's going on?"

Leo's face hardened. "The housekeeping. She went inside the room a few minutes ago, probably thought no one was there." He panted. "She saw me…the look on her face…she knew…she knew who I was…and I think she put two and two together and figured out who you were, too."

Gemini felt her breathing quicken, but she tried to stay level-headed. "How can you be sure?"

"She had a copy of the _The Daily Prophet._ That means she knows the Ministry's after us. I bought us enough time by—"

"You killed her?"

He shook his head. "Stunned her. But I was caught off-guard that I don't think it was a really good hex. It's only a matter of time she comes to and tells someone."

That was when they heard it. By the sound of it, it was most likely a Caterwauling Charm, as it was the relentless sound of a thousand cats caterwauling around the village. Gemini took one look at Leo, who looked at her with the same expression. They knew they had to get out of there—and fast.


	60. Escape

Chapter 20

They spirited in like white wisps from the sky. They landed strategically in a way that they circled the entire Hogsmeade so it would be difficult for them to escape, some even landing as far as behind Hogwarts. Gemini and Leo knew they were the Aurors, and with the Aurors appearing and the caterwauling still filling their ears, it was all they could to keep calm.

"How do we get out?" Leo shouted above the wails. "Can we apparate?"

Gemini shook her head. "Not inside Hogsmeade." She looked around, trying to search for a hiding spot or anywhere they could go. _Come on, Gemini—think. Think outside the box. Think outside…think…think!_ Her eyes drifted to the fields on the hill by the outskirts of town. There was a faint silver line intersecting the fields. Gemini squinted her eyes and saw a fence in the middle of the hill which seemed to stretch horizontally past the trees and fences, and even seemed to stretch past farther than she could see. "What about outside?"

"Outside Hogsmeade?" Leo looked at her, and Gemini pointed to the fences. "It's worth a shot. Let's go."

 _Follow, Orion!_ Gemini told the snake before Leo grabbed her hand and led her running towards the outskirts of Hogsmeade.

They ran back into Hogsmeade's streets, into the deserted-looking streets and in a construction site that looked to have been abandoned for years. They passed through it, but they stopped when they heard Aurors approaching and hid behind a pile of wooden junk. As soon as they heard it was clear, they went out of their hiding place and side-swept into more streets. They passed several blocks, dodged countless Aurors, and avoided the snowy streets that kept their footprints.

They were a few blocks away from the edge of town when they heard running towards them. Leo looked in the window of one of the houses, realized it was empty, and entered, quickly shutting the door behind them and pulling Gemini down to the floor. The moment Gemini fell to the ground, they heard the running footsteps close by.

"Nothing?" One voice said.

"No sign here. Must be on the high street." The two of them looked at each other and recognized the voice as Harry Potter's. Gemini inhaled in surprise, but Leo quickly covered her mouth and nose with one hand to keep her from making a sound.

The sound of another pair of feet arrived near the door. "Sir, Prince was in the Forbidden Forest…" The voice panted. Gemini recognized the voice as one of the Aurors who guarded her during her imprisonment in the Ministry. "Found two centaurs dead—strangling by the looks of it, but there were puncture wounds around his neck, most likely snake wounds. There was a dead snake near the bodies, dead with an arrow in its head, but it looked too small to be the cause of those punctures."

"It might be Gemini." Harry said. "She's got Salazar Slytherin's blood that I'm not surprised if she can control snakes. Her father could. But we'll coordinate with the Beast Division later, Omar. It could also just be a bad fight between the centaurs and whatever's in that forest and have nothing to do with—"

"That's a negative, sir." The Auror called Omar said. "He also found a second arrow, and it's got traces of Black's blood in it."

Leo tightened his grip softly on Gemini's arm. She looked at him and saw his bemused "I-told-you-so" expression as he brushed a thumb over the cut on her cheek. It stopped bleeding, but Gemini winced at his touch and he quickly pulled his thumb back.

"What's does Gemini want at Hogwarts?" Harry asked. "Never mind. Split up and keep searching. They can't be far; they can't apparate out and the Hogwarts Express is being searched."

They waited until after the footsteps were gone and waited a few more minutes before they went out of the house and continued running. They managed to escape all the Aurors until they were finally at the end of the town and it was just an uphill trek past a small forest and a field standing between them and the fence.

The forest was not as dense as the Forbidden Forest, as the trees were lighter, thinner, and let more sunlight in, but the snow that passed the trees and landed on the ground had already melted and made the ground slippery as they ran past. Finally they had been running for several minutes when they no longer heard any of the Aurors.

"You think we lost them?" Leo called from behind him. He slowed down a little bit, tugging Gemini's arm. She ran a bit faster to meet his pace and then slowed down so they were jogging side-by-side.

"I think so." Gemini breathed.

"We better keep moving—keep the gap between us going while we still have that advantage." Leo said. "Can you still run?"

"Me? Are you kidding?" Gemini laughed but felt embarrassed when it came out sounding like she was choking from her running and panting uphill and at the same time. Leo didn't seem to notice this and she smiled. "I've had training for the last month, of course I can still run."

"Would say your instructor was _the best_?" Leo grinned. He ran a bit faster and overtook her.

Gemini smiled and rolled her eyes. "Tell you what: if we actually survive this, you can call yourself the best fitness instructor in the world back in the mansion and I'll never say anything against it, if that'll make you happy."

Leo laughed. "It's a—"

Gemini didn't see what happened, but she swore she saw something charge at Leo from the side like a bull and she heard a hard blow and a moment later he was falling backwards on her and they tumbled downhill. Gemini tried to get her feet on the ground but the hill was too damp to step on. Gemini tried to grab hold of Leo, but as he tumbled down, the arm Gemini grabbed was thinner than Leo's arms and was wearing a blue jacket instead of his similar black jacket. That was when she looked at Leo's side and realized there was a third person.

They stopped at a flat surface on the hill's side. Gemini quickly grabbed her wand and scooted backwards, aiming it at the third person, a tall male with brown hair that was long enough to cover his eyes. Before she could stun him, Leo got up and blocked her shot, tackling the man to the ground. The two quickly engaged in a brawl, with Leo quickly pinning the man and punching him long enough for Gemini to get up. The man didn't give up and seemed to be putting up a fight, using two hands to push Leo off of him. She couldn't stun the Auror just yet, as Leo wasn't giving her a clear shot, and brushed away the dirt off of her pants.

That was when she heard a loud crunch and even saw a small splatter of blood as the man punched Leo in the face, pushed Leo to the ground, and got the upper hand as he tackled him. Gemini saw Leo was feebly struggling to fight back.

She knew she had an open shot and pointed her wand at him, the Stunning Spell at the tip of her tongue—the Killing Curse right behind it based on the way he was hurting Leo— but a breeze brushed away the man's hair and Gemini suddenly realized she recognized him. Albeit his more muscular exterior, tanner skin, and longer hair, she had been engaged to him long enough to recognize his eyes no matter what he looked like.

"Arnold!" Gemini shouted. "Stop it!"

Arnold looked up and stopped. "Gemini…" He said softly.

"Arnold…you're an Auror now?"

"No, not exactly…" He said. She noticed that when he spoke, it was like she was talking to the shy boy she always knew, and she knew he wouldn't have lasted in the Auror's Training Program. "I actually convinced Harry to let me join…because I wanted to find you."

Gemini lowered her wand, unsure of what to do, but immediately regretted it as Arnold quickly put a hand in his coat. She was about to raise her wand again, but was caught off-guard when she saw him pull out a whistle. He looked down at Leo, then at her sadly. "I'm so sorry, but you have to understand why I'm doing this…" He placed the whistle to his lips.

"Wait—NO!" She screamed but it was too late. It wasn't a magical whistle, as far as Gemini could tell, but it was so loud that she was sure the Aurors would have heard it from the other end of Hogsmeade. Even though she hadn't seen Arnold in a month and had since then resigned herself to the fact that there was no chance they'd ever get back together, the fact that he let her go once yet was calling the Aurors now made her feel a sense of betrayal. She looked at Leo, still struggling to get up, his nose bleeding and blood coming out from the corner of his lips.

Gemini made her decision. She raised her wand. "I'm so sorry, but you have to understand why I'm doing this… _Flipendo!_ "

Gemini's wand shot a burst of blue flames so grand that Arnold fell yards away from them. She didn't wait to see where he landed and was on her knees, trying to help Leo up. "Are you okay, Leo?"

"I'm fine, I'm fine!" Leo said. He got up with Gemini's help, but as he stood up, they heard the Aurors were closing in on them. "Gemini…"

"Let's go!" Gemini said, pulling him as she led him back up the hill. Leo yanked her hand away. She stopped and turned at him.

"I'm fine! Just GO!" Leo roared. Gemini nodded and ran. From time to time, she'd look back to check on Leo, and was relieved that Leo could keep up. During times he seemed to lag behind, she'd slow down and try to go back for him, but he'd quickly speed up and tell her to keep running. The Aurors were getting louder now, much too loud for their comfort, and Gemini knew it'd be a close call at this point.

Finally, they reached the field and the fence was just in sight. It was only two feet tall, the wires not even barbed at the tips. Gemini began to feel a surge of adrenaline pushing her forward, and she reached behind her and felt Leo grab her hand. A few seconds after running in the field, however, they began to see how close the Aurors were as a few of them started exiting the woods as well. There were spells hitting the grass around her, and Gemini swerved randomly to keep from being hit.

"Just keep running, Gemini!" Leo shouted. "Don't stop running!"

 _Orion!_ Gemini said. _Go on to the fence. We'll meet you there._

Orion nodded and slithered ahead to the fence and skilfully climbed it. Gemini was ready to disapparate. She turned around to see how many Aurors were after her, and that was when two things made her falter: one: there were over twenty Aurors running out to the forest; and two: Leo was slowing down, only thirty feet away from the nearest Auror.

"LEO!" Gemini screamed. She stopped and grabbed his hand, but he pulled away.

"Gemini, keep running!" Leo shouted. "Both of us can't make it. An Auror could grab us and find out about the mansion or even stun or kill you. I have to distract them."

"But you—"

"The Ministry wants both of us, but you're more important—to them _and_ to me." Leo squeezed her hand. "Finish your mission. _Keep running._ I'll make sure they won't catch you."

"Leo…"

"GO!" He pushed her away. Gemini barely missed getting hit by a green spark, but she took one last look at Leo before she ran as fast as she could to the fence and hopped over it.

She carried Orion by the neck and turned around. Leo was dueling with one of the Aurors, but a second Auror shot a yellow spell behind his back, causing him to scream in pain before getting on his knees and raising his hands in the air. Leo turned around to face her, the look on his face saying just how painful it was.

"GO, GEMINI!" Leo roared.

"Gemini!" A few feet away, Arnold was the closest one to the fence. "Stop!"

Gemini glared at him, then looked sadly at Leo before she pulled Orion close to her body and disapparated away.


	61. Rivals and New Leaders

Chapter 21

Leo's mouth quivered, struggling to keep his mouth shut. The Veritaserum had already forced him to admit his real name to Harry, Hermione, four other Aurors in the room, and Arnold Longbottom, and he had screamed his lungs out and strained his throat trying to prevent himself from admitting that they were in Hogsmeade because of the Resurrection Stone, but despite his sore throat, he eventually told Harry about their reason for being there, and now Harry had asked about the plan itself.

He ultimately gave in and told Harry the plan. He told him of how Rodolphus mentioned the plan to her before he died trying to protect her, of their plan on sneaking into Hogsmeade, and how they needed to understand what Rodolphus meant by the worst blood traitor in their family before they'd understand what to do next and before they went back to Hogwarts and use her father's body to resurrect him completely. He told them about his parents' revert to the old Black traditions, them being Death Eaters, gaining Bellatrix's approval, and even their plan to betroth him to Gemini, and he fought a smile as everyone avoided looking at Arnold, who looked uncomfortable as he told them of his parents' plan. He revealed how he had planted himself in the Ministry after knowing Gemini would end up there, and had been waiting for her to prove she was worth supporting before he used his position to help her best. He mentioned the Death Eaters were supporting Gemini, and it was all he could do not to mention any names, though the voice in his head was telling him to confess. Luckily, before Harry could ask him the next obvious question, an Auror ran into the cell, clutching some papers.

"Harry!" The Auror said. "The housekeeper's conscious. She says she remembers what happened and she can help."

"Great. Where is she?"

"St. Mungo's. But it's an hour before visiting hours are over…"

"You know how strict the healers are at St. Mungo's Harry." Hermione warned.

Harry glanced at Leo, sitting helplessly on the chair, before looking at Hermione and the Auror. "Right. You two, come with me." He turned to the rest of the Aurors. "Omar, stay in the cell and watch Leo. The rest of you know what to do."

Harry, Hermione, and the third Auror walked out the cell. Arnold followed Harry, but he stopped him and whispered in his ear. "Stay with Omar. Leo could try something dangerous to escape and I need all eyes on him while I'm gone." Harry said. Arnold nodded and remained standing as Harry, Hermione, and the four other Aurors exited the cell. The three extra Aurors took their positions by the stairs leading to the detaining area, and Arnold remained in the cell with Leo and Omar.

Omar was one of the older Aurors closer to Minister Shacklebolt's age than Harry's. He was in his early fifties but still fit as befitting an Auror, and had tanned skin and sported a shaved black crew cut. He was smart enough to recognize the tangible tension in the cell as the two young men eyed one another like two lions sizing their opponents.

With no questions being asked, Leo looked completely calm as he was when he was taken in and smiled. "So you and Gemini, huh?" He asked, looking at Arnold from head to toe with an expression that looked like he was futile in finding what Gemini had seen in him. "Or rather, what you and Gemini once _were_."

Arnold scowled at him and opened his mouth to speak, but he saw Omar looking at the two of them. "Omar, you think I could have a few minutes alone with Black?"

Omar looked at Leo warily. He didn't want to be in an awkward situation, knowing very well what made these men hate each other on the spot, but he did not feel assured leaving Leo Black—and a second Black currently wanted by the Ministry!—with someone who had little physical training which was only a miniscule percentage of the Auror Training Program. "I don't think that's a very safe thing to do, Arn—"

"Oh, live a little, baldy." Leo said casually, shaking his chains to make a loud sound. "I won't be going anywhere."

Omar frowned at Leo and looked at Arnold, who looked at him calmly. "Just for a few minutes. Please."

He sighed. "Very well. _Ten minutes._ " He walked out the cell, patting Arnold in the back as he left to join the other Aurors.

Finally, it was just the two of them.

Arnold had so much to ask him, none of which were questions about Hogsmeade. He knew all of the questions by heart, memorizing them like a poem as he wondered about Gemini ever since the photograph of Leo and Gemini. But now that he had the opportunity to ask them all, he either couldn't remember any of those questions, or he knew he didn't want to ask those questions, knowing that he would be afraid of the answers he may not like.

He realized Leo was looking at him like he was entertaining a commoner while sitting on his throne, and Arnold spoke. "You know you're still under Veritaserum, right?" Arnold asked coolly.

Leo rolled his eyes. "Yes. Merlin help me I have to spend ten minutes alone with this buffoon."

Arnold scowled, looking down but quickly deciding against it and kept his eyes straight at Leo's. "Have you really been spying on Gemini for months this whole time?"

"I wouldn't really use the term _spying_. That would mean I looked into her bedroom window and stole her files. I merely made sure I was at a position close to her to observe her whenever possible whether or not she fit the description of the Dark Lord's daughter. But yes, in a non-stalker kind of way, I have been watching over her."

Arnold waited for Leo to continue. "And?"

"And what?"

Arnold scoffed. "Did you cause all this? Are you responsible for turning her life upside-down?"

"Oh…no." Leo shook his head. "That was all _you_. If Harry's report was correct, then it was _your_ fault. You were about to move in with Gemini and you didn't have the decency to remember that your girlfriend had a life-threatening snake for a pet and didn't have it taken care of ahead of time. I'm guessing you can thank yourself for _allthis—_ "

Leo spoke fast as he saw Arnold nearly move to take a swing at him, but Arnold controlled himself. Leo merely smiled coolly. "We were ninety percent sure Gemini was the Dark Lord's child. To protect ourselves, we didn't do anything until we were a hundred percent sure. So yeah…thank you for that."

It was all Arnold could do not to punch him. "We know you and Gemini went to Grimmauld Place two weeks ago." He continued.

"Oh?" Leo asked in a disinterested voice. "We were."

"And…we saw some questionable photos."

Leo looked at his face smiled. "Was it before or after we left Grimmauld? By the look of your sappy face, I'm guessing after." He leaned back lazily and shrugged. "It was cold that night. I don't have to explain myself to you. Believe what you want to believe."

Arnold pressed on. "But what is it you really feel for Gemini, Black?"

Leo kept his lips shut until he opened them. "I care about her, obviously. I care about her a lot." He said nonchalantly. "I care about her so much that…well, you saw what I'd do for her in the field. And here I am now, all because I care for her."

Arnold looked away, but Leo continued. "And if you're curious about whether or not she cares about me…well, you saw what she'd do for me when I was in trouble—at your expense." He grinned. "How's your bottom, by the way, Longbottom?"

Arnold roared as he swung his fist at Leo's face. His heart was pounding and his fist felt sore, but he felt an odd satisfaction seeing Leo's head hanging unconsciously. He raised his fists once more.

"OY, LONGBOTTOM!" Arnold jumped and turned to see Omar standing by the cell entrance. "Don't you dare swing at him again or I'll be making sure Harry kicks you out the group!"

 _No!_ He thought and quickly lowered his arm. "I'm sorry." Arnold said sheepishly. "Heat of the moment."

"We're Aurors, not bloody power trippers." Omar shouted. "Pretty sure you're not even asking the man the right questions, you can't just go beating him up just because he can't beat you!"

Omar gave him an "I'm-watching-you" gesture before walking away. Arnold turned to Leo, who began stirring from unconsciousness. His nose was bleeding, his nose seemingly broken the wrong way, and though Arnold didn't want to apologize, he couldn't help but feel guilty about punching him. _Omar's right. What the hell got into me?_

Leo looked up at him, saw the guilty expression on Arnold's face, and laughed cruelly. "Really? One punch to a guy who just insulted you and you already look like a child who stole from a cookie jar? You are _pathetic,_ Longbottom!" He stopped laughing and sighed. "You know, I've never met you before, but I can see that everything I told her about you is true. Tell me, Arnie—can I call you Arnie? Of course I can—what's your secret to making a girl like Gemini Black fall in love with a sap like you?"

"I didn't make Gemini fall in love with me, she did that on her own." Arnold said curtly.

"And pray tell me why you love her and once thought she was the one you were about to spend the rest of your life with?"

"Because she's a better person than everyone thinks—even you." Arnold said. "Gemini's a good person, and I've seen it before. She's beautiful, smart, and when I realized I liked her, she pretty much had the world in her hands—she was _perfect_. Yet I've seen her do good things, good things she would never let anyone else know. I know in my heart that she's a good person, and when I was with her, I _saw_ she was. And I know somewhere where Voldemort hasn't affected her yet, the Gemini I know is still somewhere there."

Leo rolled her eyes. "You're an idiot." He snapped. "Gemini isn't a good girl. _No one_ is a good person. Gemini can be kind, yes, but she's more complex than that. Your definition and her definition of good might coincide every now and then, but if you thought she was a good person, then you're fooling yourself. If Gemini was a good person, she'd have killed herself long ago when she found her connection with her father. If she were good, she'd choose to die instead of follow his orders."

"She tried to." Arnold defended.

" _Tried._ And yet she's still living, still trying to bring him back to life." Leo said tautly. "You know what your problem is, mate?"

"Do enlighten me." He replied tightly.

"You love her for the wrong reasons." Leo said matter-of-factly. "You say she's perfect because she's beautiful and smart and kind and all that clichéd bull—and maybe she is, you know, in your eyes. But the moment you love her because of your little basis of perfection, you start assuming that being a good person must be one of her traits because a perfect person can't be evil, so you think—you _believe_ —that deep down inside, the girl who saved your life in that Potions classroom wasn't the same Slytherin girl you knew the hour before. So she had a few lapses of judgment and you take these as signs that she's a better person than she lets on. You believethat _this_ is the real Gemini because it's a hell lot better than believing the person you see. There's a reason Gemini chose to be the person she was, and it's not because she's trying to hide some secret good person inside her."

"And pray tell me," Arnold said mockingly in Leo's similar tone. "What makes your _care_ of her better than the reason why I love her?"

"Because the difference between you and I, Longbottom, is that I know Gemini's not perfect—and that's just fine with me." Leo said bluntly. "She has moments when I can consider her a good person, but by no means is she a good person. She's ambitious, she's reckless, she's irrational, and she'll take down anyone who stands in her way, even if it means destroying them. But she's also one of a kind. She's the only one who can understand what I've been through. When she brings back her father and we restore the magical world to its former glory, she and I will have no trouble rebuilding our society and fitting in. We have the same likes and dislikes. We share the same interests and beliefs and never have I told her she was thinking wrong. And most importantly, unlike you, I would never ask her to change who she really is just for me to care for her even more. And those flaws of hers make her sort of perfect in my own fucked up way."

Arnold looked hard at him for a long time, realizing that he knew what he knew all along. He knew it the moment Leo decided he'd rather be in this chair, right now, instead of risking Gemini getting caught. "Merlin's beard…you _love_ her." He said quietly.

Leo looked at him. "It's a good thing you didn't ask it in question form."

" _Do you love her?_ "

Leo looked down, his lips quivering to answer, until finally he looked up at Arnold and smiled.

~0~

"What are you doing, Gemini? This is futile." Voldemort whispered in her ear. "You can continue your mission without your cousin, just as you did before."

"If it weren't for Leo, I'd still be moving from forest to forest, trying to find a way to get into Hogsmeade and trying to avoid the Aurors." Gemini defended, her voice quiet. "I can't do this mission on my own."

"You have the new Death Eater army downstairs."

"And they wouldn't be here if it weren't for him."

The library was dark as the sun set minutes ago. Gemini sat on the floor in between two bookshelves, adjusting her eyes to the darkness, the Resurrection Stone in her hand. The shades of her parents were standing before her.

All the Death Eaters were downstairs, awaiting her decision. There was a suspicion that the Aurors would soon find out that the Flints were affiliated with Gemini, once the witnesses point out that Gemini had disguised herself as Abigail, and they were all ready to move the moment the Aurors tried to attack. She had no idea where to go, and all of them were hesitating to offer their homes as a second headquarters. They were reluctantly waiting on Gemini downstairs. They claimed to answer to her, as some of them had once answered to her father, but she knew that they did not see her as their leader. They had been following Leo this whole time, and she had done nothing for them to see her as his replacement. She knew that, unlike Leo, none of them could be persuaded to think differently. _I need Leo with me to finish this mission._

"You need to focus." Voldemort repeated for the hundredth time since she summoned him after locking herself in the library after arriving in the summerhouse. She looked irritably at him, her patience running thin. _Of course I know I have to focus. But what am I supposed to do on my own?!_ Voldemort's shade approached her menacingly. "You know I will be most upset if you are not focused, and when I get upset, well…"

This was all Gemini could take. She glared sharply at him. "What are you going to do? Torture me in my sleep? Kill me? Drive me insane?" She didn't care about his words and threats any longer, but as she said it out loud, she realized something she never realized, something so important that it was the one reason Voldemort couldn't hurt her. "But…you can't kill me, can you? Not unless you want to destroy the last bit of you that exists in this world and the only way for you to get back. And you can't torture me or drive me to insanity, not if you still need me to bring you back. And…and you knew that, didn't you?"

Voldemort's already-snakelike eyes glared at her until they looked like thin red lines. For the first time, Gemini didn't feel threatened by his grotesque look and felt her own eyes turn red as she stood up on her feet.

"Gemini…" Bellatrix said warningly.

Gemini ignored her mother and continued. "You need me more than I need you at this point, father." She said warningly. "You've broken me before, and you can even torture me to insanity the moment I fall asleep later, but I have nothing to live for at this point but the goal of trying to turn the wizarding community to what it once was, and I know I can do that by bringing you back to life. But if you kill me—and I doubt you can—or make me too insane or too weak to fulfill this mission, you've got no way to carry on. Your success depends on _me_."

"I could kill you, you insolent brat!" Voldemort bellowed.

"Then do it." She replied defiantly.

Bellatrix gasped, looking between her and Voldemort's shade. She opened her mouth to speak, but one motion from Voldemort silenced her.

"You obviously did not inherit your mother's obedience." He said coldly. "But if you won't work on punishment, maybe you'll work on rewards."

Gemini snorted. "What could you possibly have that can sway me?"

"Time." Voldemort smiled evily. "I could save you an abundant amount of time…if I told you everything you need to know about your mission."

Gemini looked at him interestedly, raising an eyebrow skeptically. Voldemort continued. "I shall tell you everything you need to do in order to resurrect me—including what Rodolphus meant. Don't you want to know who the worst traitor in the Black family is?" He looked at the expression on her face and knew he almost had her. "Forget Leo Black. When you resurrect me and I take over where I left off, you have my permission to be the one to tear down the walls of the Ministry to search for him. But for now, you finish the mission on your own. It is unwise and illogical to expose yourself to the Ministry to save him. What do you say?"

She didn't need long to make up her mind, and locked her red eyes into his. "I'll take my chances with Leo." She said dryly, releasing the Stone from her hand. Voldemort's shade yelled in anger and faded into the darkness of the room.

~0~

They were followers divided; half of them believed that the brooding girl upstairs was their leader, while the other, older half believed she didn't have what it took to be their leader. They were so engrossed in arguing with each other that they didn't seem to notice how dark the sitting room was, the only source of light from the fireplace one of the house elves lit up.

"She escaped Azkaban, yes, but has she ever done anything else?" Crabbe snapped. "If Black—the _leader_ Black were here, we'd know exactly what to do! And the first thing she does is lock herself up there!"

"We should definitely get out of here while we still can." Blaise Zabini persuaded his twin children. He turned to his slightly older friend. "Especially you, Flint. The moment they find out your daughter's hair was in that Polyjuice Potion, they're coming after you. Merlin knows how long it'll be before they force Veritaserum down your throats and you spill everything you know. And for all we know, Black's already sung all our names to the Ministry already."

Marcus Flint turned to his daughter. "I told you you should never have volunteered for that Polyjuice. Gemini could have done without your hair—"

"No, she couldn't. And I can make my own choices, thank you very much, and I choose to help my best friend." Abigail said haughtily. "Gemini _can_ lead us. If we're not going to save Leo, Gemini knows what to do. Don't put her down so fast just because she's seventeen."

"I'd follow a six year old if need be, but only if it could prove that it was someone worth following. She's the Dark Lord's daughter, but then what?" Pansy Parkinson chided. "She's never planned anything like Leo, never led a group, and whatever her next plan is, how sure are we that she's someone worth staying for? I need _something_ from her, from all this! And while knowing that Leo could have spilled our names to the Ministry, I can't just sit here and wait for her to make a move!"

"Then that's good, because you won't."

She came down the stairs in the darkness, but all of them could see her glowing red eyes from the top of the stairs. She walked down with her head high with determination and confidence that even her friends in the group took a step back.

When she arrived in the summerhouse, the way she acted did not convince everyone that she was worth following. But looking at her now, with her father's red eyes and similar self-assured but calculating demeanor, it was as if all of those doubts, all the baggage she carried with her former life as Gemini Ridley and as a normal witch, was now gone and replaced by a woman who controlled an army her whole life. Even Pansy Parkinson at that moment, despite her resentment for Gemini's blood relation to Draco Malfoy, had to admit: this looked like a girl who was worth staying for, someone worth following.

They were all thinking the same thing: the child they had been waiting for, the one they hoped would lead them to a pureblood society as her father once did, had finally arrived.

"Put your masks on." Gemini said steadily as she approached them. Her voice was so quiet and soft, yet none of the Death Eaters dared breathe loudly in her new domineering presence that her voice seemed to vibrate throughout the room. "We're going to do what you all should have done when I was arrested—we're going to ambush the Ministry. And then we're going to get Leo back. Any questions?"


	62. Rescue

_**Hi everyone! I'll be working on a few short stories for my university's publication this week, which means that I may not have time to write the next chapters until Monday next week. Will try not to keep you guys in suspense for too long and try to update sometime this weekend, but I can't promise anything. Thank you!**_

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Chapter 22

It started as a loud crash coming from the bottom of the Ministry, and by the time the Aurors guarding the floor realized what was happening, green spells shot out from the dust and rubble, sending them flying backwards and rendering them unconscious as they banged their heads on the wall. The sirens came seconds later, but by then it was far too late. Had they remained conscious, they would have seen Gemini Black almost majestically walk out from the cloud of dust. There was a fierce beauty about her—from her glowing red eyes to her messily tied-back hair to her black ensemble which matched the masked, black-hooded figures standing behind her.

They stormed into the tunnel Harry and the other Aurors used to transport Gemini out of Azkaban. Gemini had doubts that Harry would have had that tunnel watched, but she found it easy to destroy using her father's powerful wand. It only used protective charms that were easily taken down by strong and dark spells. Observing to make sure that the Aurors were down, Gemini walked on, stopping when she saw Leo tied up to a chair ironically in the cell right in front of hers.

"Leo!" Gemini shouted. She turned to the other Death Eaters and snapped, "Guard the entrances! Take down any Auror that tries go down here. I'll handle Leo. Go!"

They were quick to follow, though Abigail stayed by Gemini's side. Leo slowly looked up at her with glazed eyes, slightly taken aback. He had heard of her having red eyes during imprisonment, but to him Gemini looked so much more intimidating with red eyes on. "G..Gemini…" He muttered. "They know…they know…"

"They only know as much as you do." Gemini said evenly. "I know they'd have used Veritaserum on you. Did you tell them who the Death Eaters were?"

Leo shook his head. Gemini saw his nose looked broken and bleeding and she knew he was punched while chained to the chair. Whoever beat him must have done it so hard because his arms looked bent the wrong way, and he winced at the slightest movement of it. "No…they never got to ask. But Gemini…"

"We'll deal with their information later." Gemini said sharply. She turned to Abigail. "Do you really want to do this?"

Abigail nodded. "We'll be compromising everyone and all your plans if the Ministry thinks I'm involved with you." She said bravely, the fear in her voice discernable. She took the mask and robes off hastily. The two girls hugged briefly before Abigail gently pushed Gemini away and took a step back. "Good luck, Gem. I know you'll do great. I'll see you before Christmas, okay?"

Gemini bit the inside of her lip and nodded, raising her wand at her. She said several spells quickly, and within seconds Abigail was knocked unconscious, bound tight with ropes that came from the tip of her wand, and half of her hair vanished into thin air. Gemini made Abigail levitate before sending her body flying towards one of the empty cells. She turned back to Leo's cell.

"Gemini—WAIT!" Leo stopped her. "I heard one of the Aurors…you can't go past that boundary to pull me out. If you touch it and you're not part of Harry Potter's side, you'll end up trapped here with me."

Gemini looked at the seemingly harmless archway, its entrance shimmering with the protective charm. "Then let's do this another way, then. _Reducto!_ " She didn't aim for the shield, but for the stone arch around it. _Stupid Aurors aren't careful enough,_ Gemini thought smugly as she separated the arch from the rest of the wall. The arch came crumbling down, leaving a rough-edged, slightly bigger arched entrance in its place, though the shimmering in the space was gone. _I should have done this earlier._

She pointed the wand at Leo. From the corner of her vision she could see the Death Eaters dueling by the staircase, and she knew they had to move faster. "Reducto!" She said as she ran to him. The chains broke off and Leo yelped as he brought his arms back in front of him. "Leo, I know you're hurt but we have to get out of here…now."

Leo gritted his teeth but nonetheless placed his hands on the sides of the chair and pushed himself up. "Okay."

"Your wand?" Gemini asked as she helped him on his feet.

"Not in this floor," Leo said, wincing, "but never mind that. Let's just go."

"Right." Gemini said. They walked out back into the hallway just in time to see the Death Eaters body-bind an Auror. "LET'S GO!"

Just as she said it, it was as if someone had put a Reductor Spell on the entrance back into the tunnels as the walls crumbled down, completely blocking off the tunnels. Gemini knew there was no way they'd get out that way anymore. She turned to the stairs. "Up the stairs!" She shouted. The Death Eaters were quick to obey and ran up. "If they want us to come to them, you bet we will."

Carrying Leo's weight as he started to get the feeling of walking again made Gemini slightly behind the Death Eaters. By the time they made it to the stairs to the Atrium, the Aurors who did come to stop them were either knocked unconscious, bloodied, tossed into the Department of Mysteries' door, or a mixture of all three. It was like her personal cavalry as they made it up to the Atrium, clearing her way as they passed.

It was already evening, so the employees were already gone. The Atrium was empty, save for the few Aurors who were starting to trickle in. Leo let go of Gemini. "I'm fine," he promised. "Just go and help them!"

With her father's wand on-hand, Gemini felt like she wasn't using a wand but a natural extension of her own hand. She was never good with non-verbal spells, but it was as if the wand could read her mind and worked wonderfully with her, and seemed to be more powerful when the spells she used leaned toward the Dark Arts. She stunned several Aurors, blasted some against the wall, and in a split-second of seeing one Auror holding his wand the wrong way, used the Sectumsepra spell to cut off two of his fingers, making his wand drop to the ground. They were making their way towards the Floo Network, but just as Gemini set foot into the hallway, every fireplace opening dropped down golden grates, blocking every portal out of the Ministry.

 _We're trapped!_ Gemini thought.

"What do we do now?" She heard someone say behind her, their voice muffled by the mask.

"We can't apparate out!" Said another.

 _We can't apparate,_ _just like in Hogsmeade. Only…_ she felt the wand warm up, and she thought it might be talking to her. _Only…it's not like Hogsmeade, is it? It's…it's an open area. The Ministry's underground. Above ground, I can apparate. Only if..._

She looked up the domed ceiling. _The area isn't unapparatable, just this place…just like that arch._ She pointed it upwards. " _Reducto!_ " She yelled, pointing the wand upwards. A long stretch of green sprouted from the wand, and it was few seconds of silence before the spark made contact with the walls and a rumbling sound shook the walls of the Ministry. A large crater-like hole was blasted above them, the dust of the objects behind them falling down on her.

Gemini turned to the Death Eaters. "Try apparating now. To the summerhouse."

Several cloaked figures disappeared. Seconds passed, and one of them returned. "It works," he said.

Gemini nodded. "Go. Now." The rest of the Death Eaters disapparated. She turned to Leo. "Think you can side-along?"

"Beats staying here." He shrugged. "Let's go."

Gemini placed her hand on Leo's and was about to apparate when she heard her name being called from the other side of the atrium fountain. "GEMINI!" She waited to see who it was, only to scowl when she saw Arnold running towards them. "Gemini, please don't go! You've got to stop this mess!"

She scoffed. "You say that as though I have a choice, Arnold."

"But you do." He pleaded. "Gemini, this isn't you…"

Gemini rolled her eyes. "God, can you stop saying that? You don't know me."

"But I do." He insisted. Gemini saw him glare at Leo. "And I know you're better than that. You're a good person. You are not your father. You don't believe in—"

"That's just it!" Gemini shrieked. "We've been fighting about this ever since! You _think_ I shouldn't have those ideals and now you think I think that way because of my _father_? I knew Wizards should rules Muggles even before I found out about my family! Well, you know what? I'm fucking tired of having to tell you that every time I see you. I just…just…"

She felt that involuntary rage she felt during her interrogation take over as she pointed her wand at the fountain. The centerpiece dissolved before their eyes and the water began steaming and boiling. At the bottom of the fountain sprouted a black behemoth that grew from the base. It grew ten feet above the ground before it began to take shape. The bottom shaped into grotesque figures of people with varying degrees of pain etched into their faces. The rest of the thing formed a larger human figure, though when it was over, it was a regal-looking figure with a wand in its hand standing over the smaller people. It was crude and rough, and it reminded the three of them of the Magic is Might fountain that once stood in the same place seventeen years ago, but what the figure was made of looked like it was made out of something they couldn't easily remove.

But Arnold wasn't paying attention to the statue or whatever it was Gemini was building, and was focused on the fact that the two of them were focused on it. "I'm sorry, Gemini…" He muttered, reaching for his wand. " _Stupefy!_ "

The spell would have reached Gemini if Leo hadn't leaped, falling as he pushed her to one side. It took Gemini one moment to process what had happened. And when she did, she looked at Arnold with a look of loathing and betrayal.

"Hope you have fun trying to take _that_ off." Gemini cocked her head to the fountain. She grabbed Leo's hand and he held onto her tightly before they disapparated, leaving Arnold alone with the monstrosity in the fountain.


	63. Girl to Girl

_**Hi guys, next chapter won't be out until after this coming Monday! :)**_

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Chapter 23

Leo passed out from the pain and tiredness moments after they arrived. The House Elves set him on his bed and Gemini ordered the Death Eaters to return to their homes and lay low. As the House Elves set bandages and healing salves over his face and badly-beaten body, Gemini got the chair from his study desk and sat near his bed, watching the House Elves work on Leo.

"Miss Gemini…" One of the House Elves spoke up. "Master Leo's wounds shall heal overnight. We are sad to say, however, that the bruises will take time to heal and may ache Master Leo in the morning."

"Very well," Gemini said, "that will be all."

The House Elves bowed and walked out the room. They left the lamps on, but Gemini waved her wand so she was left in the dark.

Gemini knew she would pay dearly for her actions: thanks to another fit of rage (possibly courtesy of her father… _again_ ), if Hermione were to fix the map within the week, she knew she wasn't safe. And Merlin only knew how angry her father was. But she looked at the bed, at Leo's battered face, and she knew he'd be worse off if she hadn't saved him. And somehow, the consequences of her actions were worth it.

She reached into her pocket and pulled out the Resurrection Stone still attached to the piece of rope like a black, dull charm on a dirty bracelet. She pressed her lips together. _Fuck it, if father's mad, then there's definitely hell to pay. Better get over with it…_ She turned the stone thrice.

The shade formed before her eyes, but it wasn't her father. It was slender, and when the shade began to form, it wasn't her father's, but her mother's, standing alone.

"Mother." Gemini said blankly. "I'm assuming father's not coming?"

"Not until you finish the mission, your father wants nothing to do with you. He says if your cousin means more to you than finishing your mission, then so be it. Don't expect him to drop by anytime soon." Bellatrix replied hotly. "And we _do_ still expect you to finish the mission."

Gemini rolled her eyes. It was as if she had a choice. If she didn't bring her father back now, it wasn't like she could just apologize to the Ministry and everything would get back to normal. She needed to bring her father back to restore the pureblood society it was once. "I _will_." She said tightly. "But I'm not doing it alone. Not without Leo."

Bellatrix scowled, but otherwise nodded. "Very well, Gemini." She turned to leave.

Gemini looked at her mother. Among all the Death Eaters, it was common knowledge that her mother was her father's most loyal supporter. She did not join the Death Eaters for pureblood supremacy or the power they would have being a close supporter of his, and though she did enjoy these perks, she remained because she believed in her father. But Gemini realized, at that moment, that it wasn't exactly true.

"You wanted this, didn't you?" Gemini spoke up. Bellatrix stopped and turned to look at her daughter. "A long time ago. It was never part of father's own plan but you wanted me to end up with Leo, didn't you?"

"I did." Bellatrix said tightly. "A _long_ time ago, Gemini. That was my and my cousin Phineas' plan a long time ago."

Gemini looked at her questioningly, which made Bellatrix scowl. "I don't like what you're implying, dear girl. _I_ remained your father's most loyal servant until my dying breath. _I_ lasted the longest of all the Death Eaters who stood firm. Why do you think I expect nothing less from my own daughter?"

"And yet you planned to marry me off." Gemini said dryly. "Didn't you?"

"It wasn't a plan, but a mere idea I shared with Leo's father."

"Had things gone differently, er…" Gemini was about to call her mother by her first name, but it seemed wrong and odd to call her mother as well, "…and if the Death Eaters won the Battle of Hogwarts and you managed to kill Harry Potter, would that idea have become a plan?"

Bellatrix pursed her lips, but ultimately sighed. "If your father did not speak against it, it might have. As I have said—loyalty to the Dark Lord's cause before my own."

"Even if it meant restoring the House of Black?"

"Even if it meant _my own life._ " Bellatrix stressed. "I thought that once the Dark Lord won against the Mudbloods and Blood traitors and restored the purebloods to their rightful place that restoring the noblest family was the best course of action after that. The Blacks had always been the reigning pureblood family ever since I was born, it was only fitting my daughter would be there to raise it with her cousin. There was even a prophecy about you—"

"I know, the one where I bring father back and—"

"Not that!" Bellatrix snapped. "There was another. It basically said that you were going to restore the Black Family tree and all that, and well, that gave me the idea from that point."

"Why haven't I heard of this prophecy before?" Gemini asked.

Bellatrix waved a careless hand. "Possibly long-forgotten and even unrecorded. Regardless, with so many deaths at that time, prophecies were not necessarily set in stone, hence there were so many that clashed. We heard a prophecy of your father's victory in the Battle of Hogwarts, only to find out Potter's prophecy. There was also your prophecy of bringing him back, and then the prophecy of your restoration of the Black family. There were too many to be certain of the future, hence the precautions I took when I had that Imperiused one to send you to my traitorous sister in case the worst happened. Though even I expected the worst in her and took precautions, and here we are now."

 _Here we are,_ Gemini thought miserably. _Wanted by the Ministry and trying to fulfill an impossible mission._ "Right." She said after a brief pause. "Well, then. If you're only here to relay my father's disappointment in my actions…"

In a move that seemed nothing like her mother's own, Bellatrix disappeared from her spot and appeared right in front of Gemini and placed a cold hand on her shoulder. Gemini saw the hand pass through her, but she could feel the eerie chill of her mother's shade. "Gemini…fulfill your father's mission before anything else." Bellatrix said sternly. "It's your duty as the last of the Slytherin and Black line. You are of two of the noblest lines of wizardry—that isn't something you should forget because that gives you a responsibility. A burden, a sacrifice, but nonetheless _your_ responsibility. And it's your responsibility to bring back your father so he may continue what he started.

"But Gemini…" Bellatrix said with a softer voice. "When your father does return, I want you to consider what it is you'll be doing in the perfect society he creates. When he has eliminated all those who deserve to be eliminated and you no longer have to hide and the wizarding society becomes pure once more, what purpose do you have in that society? Focus on your father's mission, but think of what you'll do once that's over."

Gemini got the message. "So you're saying I _should_ still marry Leo?"

"It shall make a respectable marriage." Bellatrix said solicitously. "You and Leo are distant cousins, and the House of Black has married cousins with one another to keep the line pure—and in the House of Slytherin as well, if I might add. It is also quite evident that you enjoy his presence, the same way he enjoys yours. Several Blacks who married for a respectable marriage did not have the privilege of marrying someone they truly cared about, so you can consider yourself fortunate if you do marry him."

Gemini noticed the way Bellatrix looked when she said that sentence, how there was a split second of regret on her face before her signature blank face with insane-laden eyes returned. She looked at Leo, who was still sleeping soundly through all this. She knew she liked Leo, and if anything bad ever happened and they had to run, Gemini would want to be on the run with him. But the way her mother said it made her skin crawl. "I'll think about it." Gemini said tightly.

Bellatrix looked down at her. "Do. And choose wisely." She said haughtily as her shade began to float backwards. "Merlin knows the last time you chose, you almost ended up married to a _Longbottom._ The Houses of Black and Slytherin would be turning in their graves if that ever happened."


	64. Celebration

_**Thanks for waiting, everyone!**_

Chapter 24

Gemini woke up to the sound of Leo grunting in pain as he woke up and sat up from his bed. She found herself having fallen asleep on the chair, the Resurrection Stone hanging from her wrist. She felt extremely tired from the night before, the fatigue of running around the Forbidden Forest and the bruises from tumbling down the hills of Hogsmeade making their presence felt. She shrugged her jacket off and placed it on the chair before transferring to the side of Leo's bed.

"How are you feeling?" She asked quietly as the house elves began removing the bandages wrapped around his body.

Leo took a moment to collect his bearings, but finally, he spoke. "Been better." He said with a croaked voice as one house elf removed the gauze on his nose. "How long was I out?"

Gemini looked at the clock, which showed that it was almost eleven in the morning. "Less than twelve hours. Ten, maybe. I fell asleep around midnight."

Leo nodded absently, groaning as he stretched his limb. He placed his hands on the bedspread, feeling it, and Gemini wondered if he was thinking of the alternative room he'd wake up to if she didn't save him. He looked at her and spoke, "Thank you."

"You're welcome." Gemini shrugged. "Beats the alternative."

He raised an eyebrow. "Which is?"

"Not finishing this mission with you." Gemini said flatly. Leo grinned from ear to ear, and she rolled her eyes. "Do you know how hard it is to get the Death Eaters to follow me? Of course I'm going to need _you_."

She said the last word like it was something useful she would have disposed of if she had the chance, but she couldn't force a smile back that made Leo smile back. "Then I'm _so_ glad I still have use for the Dark Lord's Daughter." He gritted his teeth as he leaned and rested his head on the headboard of the bed, and then looked at her and motioned at her eyes. "Is that what the red eyes were for?"

Gemini turned her eyes red. "It's a Slytherin thing, apparently. I can turn it red on my own, but it's a natural thing when I'm really pissed. Only…" She grimaced, turning her eyes back to its dark color, "Having red eyes sort of gives my father this sort of connection into my mind and messes with my anger. It's like he feeds on it, and when he does, I end up doing crazy things. You remember my interrogation, right? And now the Ministry has a new Atrium centerpiece, courtesy of my father."

"You looked damned scary with red eyes." Leo said. "And what of Abigail? She _is_ our more distant cousin, you know."

"Assuming everything goes right, she'll claim I kidnapped her and used her hair for Polyjuice Potion for the past month. Harry wouldn't be mean enough to interrogate a kidnapped victim, so he'll probably buy it and hopefully he won't try searching the Flint summerhouse. And that'll explain why I looked like Abby in Hogsmeade."

"Right. That's a good plan." Leo said. He looked around the room and sighed. "It's a bit stuffy in here. Do you want to go out?"

"Leo…"

"I know, I know. The Aurors knew we went to Grimmauld Place, by the way. Don't know how, but they caught us leaving. I meant just the house. I was thinking: you, me, the pavilion at the back, and, I don't know…brunch in an hour or so?" Leo smiled hopefully. "If you didn't like our first date, you can always call this a 'so-glad-we-made-it-out-of-Hogsmeade-and-the-Ministry-alive' brunch at the pavilion."

Gemini laughed. "Fine. Let's be there in an hour. I'm going to take a shower before we have the 'so-glad-we-made-it-out-of-Hogsmeade-and-the-Ministry-alive' brunch."

Leo pouted. "Because saying 'date' is a whole lot harder, huh?"

"Possibly."

He slowly swung his legs to the side of the bed. "Very well, then. I'll see you in an hour, Gemini."

~0~

An hour later, Gemini was dressed in a dark blue long sleeved dress with a white collar and black flats when she helped Leo walk to the pavilion in the back of the Flint summerhouse. It was a raised, covered, white octagon on the foreground of a small group of trees and the open space in front of it. Gemini could see two house elves already preparing as they walked slowly towards the pavilion, and she could hear the sound of a violin playing nearby.

"I thought this was just brunch." Gemini scowled at Leo as they climbed up the short stairs. Leo needed not that much help walking, but he obviously seemed more sore than she was when they walked at her pace so she slowed a bit to match his.

"I thought so too." Leo said innocently. "Damn, these house elves got my instructions wrong."

"Oh shut up." Gemini nudged him in the ribs, but she saw him silently wince. "Oops, sorry."

She helped Leo up to the top of the pavilion but he let her hand go. "If this is going to be a date…" He said, limping ahead of her. In the middle of the pavilion was a small, circular, marble table with two matching chairs on either end. Leo pulled up one chair for her. "After you."

Gemini rolled her eyes but felt herself blush as she smiled. "Fiiine," she said, sitting down and letting him push her into place before he sat across her.

Lunch with Leo proved to be a good stress reliever after the previous day. The house elves served three courses, and Leo was evidently glad to be free from the Ministry, and quite pleased that they managed to get the Stone. While dining on the gourmet food prepared by the house elves, Gemini explained how it worked and how she had seen her parents and what they talked about, though she thought it would be a good idea to leave out what her mother said last night. When lunch was over, neither of them still wanted to go back in the house, which seemed so humid with the cold breeze outside, and, after the house elves cleaned up and left, the two of them adjourned to the bench on one end of the pavilion facing the summerhouse. They knew they should be solving the next part of Gemini's mission, but after all they've done the day before, they figured they deserved a break.

"So you won't be hearing from your father until he's alive?" Leo asked, and she nodded. "So we're really on our own now? I'm fine with that, if I'm being honest here, since I didn't need your father's help to find you and all, but aren't you scared?"

She turned to him, a hard look on her face. "You know what I've been through while imprisoned." She said quietly. "At this point I know there are a lot worse things to be afraid of."

He placed a kind hand on hers, rubbing the back of her hand with his thumb. "Such as?"

"Such as the fact that I'm going to die. You know the prophecy, and I know that you know that the prophecy clearly states that, at one point in the future, I'm going to die in place of my father." Gemini said nonchalantly. " _Born at the year's end, born at the year's half. Died at the year's half, died at the year's end—_ that first part's obviously my and my father's birthday. And my father died in May, Leo—and we're at the last month of the year, and I doubt my mission will last until next December. That's why I know for sure we'll eventually bring my father back, but that only means my death will come too. Only a few things are scarier than knowing you're about to die."

Leo pressed his lips together, entwining his fingers with hers. A cold breeze passed through the pavilion, making Gemini instinctively move closer to Leo's warmth. She rested her head on his shoulder, too absorbed with her thoughts to notice how close they were. Now that she had said it out loud, it felt so real, and she could feel the dread in her stomach threatening to make her hurl.

"Hey," Leo said gently, "do you remember what Rodolphus said? You told me that Rodolphus said prophecies could still be changed, remember? As long as we do something not even a Seer could even predict, you could alter your future. We could still do that. Find a way to make sure you don't die. You don't have to be scared."

"I guess not." Gemini said. "But I'm still not giving up on bringing father back."

Leo looked pointedly at her. "Do you mind if I ask you something? You saved me, even if your father gave you a chance to end your mission faster, even if your father is furious at you for defying him—all just to save me. Why?"

"I told you this morning—"

"Yeah, I know. But I figured: with your father's guidance and those red eyes of yours, they would have eventually followed you because you had a plan straight from the Dark Lord himself. And even without them following you, if you had your father on your side, you could have finished this mission on your own. And yet, you left your best friend to the Ministry and nearly got hexed by your ex, all just to save me when I told you to go on without me. Why?"

Gemini sat quietly. "I think you know the answer to that."

"I'd rather hear the answer from you just so we're on the same level." Leo said levelly. "And now that I think about it, you just defied your father yet you're still trying to bring him back to life. What _did_ he do to get you to follow him? You weren't exactly willing to follow in his footsteps when you found out you were his child."

Gemini sighed. The memory of her past was but a forgotten dream, a lost fantasy of a normal life she could have had. "You really want to know?" Leo nodded. "When we first spoke, he tried convincing me that I was never meant for the life I was this close to having, but I didn't take it. On the second night, father told me how similar we were: I already had the traits of a Slytherin, and he said all I needed was the push to aim higher. He knew how I felt about Muggles destroying the world and how wizards couldn't do anything about it, so he promised that if he ruled the Wizarding World and restored the purebloods to their positions, I would control the Muggles and have the power to rule the rest of the world."

"Like if the Dark Lord was the king, you'd be the princess?"

"Sort of—err, it's actually exactly like that. The ruling princess who made sure the commoners had no power to destroy what they already destroyed…and for the comeuppance of the Muggles who made my childhood miserable." Gemini smirked. "But back then, that wasn't enough motivation for me to join. So…night after night it was father's attempt to break me. According to him, once I was broken, I could be rebuilt to think like him."

"And what did he do?"

Gemini stopped looking at the view in front of her and looked Leo straight in the eye. "I'd rather not talk about it." She said in a way that left no room for argument. "But as you can see, it was enough. It was enough to forget Arnold and Malfoy Apothecary and a possibility of a normal life, and here I am.

"But last night, when father gave me the choice between you and a shorter mission and I chose you, all father could really do is threaten to break me even more. But I've been there, and I realized that that was all he could do, and since I've been there before, it doesn't really scare me. He can't even kill me! When I chose you over the mission, I realized what little power he really had over me while he was still dead. He can't kill me, and if he drives me insane then there's no way I can function enough to bring him back to life, and I'm sure that's what he really wants if he went through all the trouble to form a connection with me." Gemini chattered on, with Leo listening patiently. "And I chose you because, after all you've done to help me, I don't think I can do this without you, even if I had my father's guidance. He's but a shade, someone who will whisper in my ear the answers I need, but when the Aurors come looking for me, it's you I'm gonna need by my side."

"And you'll have me by your side." Leo promised, lifting her hand slightly. "We're still following your father?"

Gemini nodded. "We're too far gone to turn back now. It's either we get my father back or we go straight to Azkaban. There is no in between."

"Or we can just run away," Leo said casually. "Two fugitive, running from the law. Somewhere that'd make a great American action film."

Gemini laughed, but both of them knew what they were both thinking: neither of them would want to live running from the law. They were going to fight if they had to.

"Gemini…" Leo said slowly.

She could tell that it wasn't something Leo didn't want to say. "Yes?"

"I'm surprised you haven't brought it up but I think I have to tell you: I was interrogated. The Ministry knows almost everything I know."

" _Almost._ We're lucky you didn't mention the Death Eaters." Gemini assured him. "That just means we have to solve what Rodolphus meant faster before they do. You risked your life for me too, Leo. I'm not mad at you. I've been under Veritaserum, remember? I know you couldn't help it. Oh, and considering that you helped me…"

She pulled out her wand from her pocket and gave it to him. "It's the least I could do. I'll use my father's for the meantime. When he comes back I'm going to need my wand back, though. I'm sure we'll think of something by then."

"Because your wandmaking skills are certainly not Ollivander-quality. Thanks." Leo grinned, but his smile quickly disappeared.

"There's something else, is there?"

He bit his lip uncomfortably. "Back in the Ministry, after Harry interrogated me, I was alone with Arnold for a while." He said slowly, letting the words sink in. "And, well…"

"I think I get what happened," Gemini said. She wasn't blind to how this all looked like in Arnold's point of view, and after Arnold witnessed her blast him away to save Leo and then nearly destroy the Ministry to save him once more, Gemini only needed one guess to know what Arnold asked. "How did it go?"

"A bit awkward, really…" Leo said weakly. He began recalling the conversation, pointing at his slightly healed broken nose, which wasn't crooked anymore but had a faint bruise on the side.

"Oh," was all Gemini could say when he was done. She couldn't imagine how Arnold felt after hearing that. It wasn't much, but after all they've been through, she knew that was more than enough to make him feel jealous. Part of her was still upset with him for trying to hex her, so that part of her took glee in knowing Arnold felt bitter. "Did you mention we were supposed to be betrothed?"

"To Harry during interrogation." Leo admitted. "Not to Longbottom. Harry asked if I was doing this for Bellatrix, considering she was the last Black to side with him. I said I wasn't, but when he asked if I knew her, it got too close to the topic and I had to admit that Bellatrix wanted to betroth us, and we would have been married if the Battle of Hogwarts had gone differently."

He noticed the pout on her face. "I'm really sorry."

Gemini turned to him and sneered. "Must have been very awkward for you, then." She giggled. "It's fine. You couldn't have prevented it. We're just lucky you didn't get Veritaserum Alpha, or you might have mentioned the Death Eaters, too. So…"

"And there was something else." Leo interjected. Gemini stopped talking. "Longbottom also asked me one question in particular…"

He looked even more nervous than before. "Which is?" Gemini asked.

"He asked me if I loved you."

Gemini froze and looked at him. "And you answered?"

He gave her hand a squeeze, making Gemini look at how connected their hands were. "I'm pretty sure you know the answer to that by now."

 _If I'm being honest, I actually didn't,_ Gemini thought. She had always thought they were close because they bonded over weeks of being trapped in the summerhouse and the fact that they were the last remaining Blacks. At the beginning, Leo was also very flirty, and he was the type of arrogant, self-assured Slytherin Gemini disliked, but as she got to spend more time with him, she realized how much she needed him. And with his hand in hers and her head on his shoulder, Gemini only realized at that moment how much she needed him, almost as much as he needed her.

"I'd rather hear it from you." Gemini said quietly.

Leo looked at her, then at the view in front of them, and then sighed. "You know that after my parents died, my goal was to make sure I made you see the importance of restoring the Black Family. After I saw what you were capable of, it was my goal to help you restore your father. B-but…Merlin, I'm not good at this." Leo muttered, but he took a deep breath and continued.

"You know the drill—we've been doing nothing but missions set out by our parents. But when I'm with you, Gemini, I feel like I'm with the only person who can understand me—not sympathize, not nod in obedience, someone who _understands_ me, and knows she doesn't have to be someone else around me. When I'm with you, all of a sudden, there are no missions. A few weeks ago, I stopped looking at you and wondering where your mission was taking us, and I started looking at you and wondering what we were going to do after we brought your father back to life, and part of me wished that, in your vision of a pureblood world with your father ruling, that I would be a part of it. Normal lives are not for people like us, yes, but when I'm with you, I imagine a life where I don't have to worry about what my parents think or what your father wants, and it's just you and me. I know how cheesy this all sounds, but…I love you, Gemini." Leo gulped. "And I think I knew that even before Arnold heard it."

They couldn't stop staring at each other, Leo hoping he didn't freak her out and Gemini trying to focus on ten different things running through her head. Her heart was beginning to beat faster, her face feeling flushed, and her breathing got deeper. She knew she liked Leo a lot, but with all that's been happening and after what she had been through with Arnold, even if she hated Arnold now, was she ready to love someone else?

"I don't mean to spring at you like that or pressure you to feel the same way." Leo promised her. "I just think that you deserve to know, and not just Arnold."

"It's…it's fine. A bit weird, considering we're cousins…."

" _Distant_ cousins."

"…but, I…thank you for telling me, Leo." Gemini said quietly. "I'm afraid I can't tell you the same things, but…"

"But?" He repeated hopefully.

"But I guess what I feel for you is somewhere along those lines." Gemini finally said. She gave him a smile that told him not to lose hope. "Not sure yet, but you can expect it's somewhere there. I need time to think about that."

Leo nodded. "I can respect that." He said, giving her hand a squeeze before letting it go. He wrapped his left arm around her as he leaned back on the bench, wincing slightly at his sore muscles. "At least I've got no competition while we're here."

"I wouldn't be so sure," Gemini said dryly. "Right now it's tough competition between you and that house elf with the chipped ear."

"Easy competition." Leo said casually.

"And maybe some unfair competition with Cassio whenever he visits on the weekends."

Leo stopped and gaped. "Really?" He asked tensely.

Gemini laughed at his reaction. "Kidding, honestly. He's just a friend, Leo." She assured him. "You're pretty much the only one here."

"Just me and you." Leo smiled.

"Don't forget the house elf."

"Oh, and that bastard too." He muttered ruefully.

Gemini and Leo laughed, but they eventually returned to the silence of watching the morning pass into the afternoon. The pavilion was breezy, but Gemini felt so warm with Leo's arm wrapped around her. Without giving it a second thought, she glanced at him and saw that she was staring back at her. They laughed nervously, but a moment later they felt the tangible tension between them and they slowly leaned towards each other and found each other's lips on theirs. It was a gentle yet passionate kiss, saying everything that needed to be said, and it lasted only for a few seconds before they smiled knowingly at each other and looked back at the quiet scene before them, both of them wishing it was longer.


	65. Reconnaissance

Chapter 25

"Gemini…" Leo shook her awake. "Gemini wake up. I'm done."

Gemini stirred and sat up out of bed. There were a lot more papers and books in her room than there were last night. She rubbed her eyes, yawned, and looked at the space next to her bed. "You've been up this whole time?"

"I've been up since five." Leo said absentmindedly, focused on the banner in front of him. "If time is of the essence, we need to find that blood traitor before the Aurors do."

Gemini sleepily nodded and forced herself out of bed. In less than twenty-four hours, Leo had transformed her room from an elegant bedroom to a research jungle of the Black Family history. The mess reminded her of a luxurious version of her room in the Leaky Cauldron when she was writing her paper for Hermione. She would have rather had Leo research in his room, but he was adamant that he didn't want to mix his Astronomy material with papers about the Black Family tree, and so they researched—or rather, Leo researched and Gemini asked questions about the Black family—in her room. The windows were closed and the air conditioning was off, but the room was chilly from the falling snow outside, coating the grounds white. Even in pants, a sweater, and Leo's black jacket, Gemini still felt cold. She pulled the jacket closer to her as she approached the banners.

There were two banners on one wall. The one on the left was bigger and had more lines and words on it, while the second one was much fewer and had less lines. "Someone's been busy," Gemini remarked. She sat on top of the desk in facing the wall. "What do we have?"

Leo motioned at the smaller of the two. "This is a tree of the disowned Blacks. Now there are a lot of disowned Blacks, and a lot more descendants of disowned Blacks, but technically speaking they're no longer a part of the Black family…" Leo stopped and grimaced but quickly continued. "…and I'm sure Rodolphus knew that, so a blood traitor in the family has got to be someone who was in the tapestry but got blasted off."

He named the Blacks on the tree, but Gemini only recognized a few of them. There was Isla Black, who married Bob Hitchens, a Muggle. Cedrella and Andromeda Black married the wrong kinds of wizards. Sirius Black, Harry Potter's godfather, was one of them, as well as his uncle who supported him. There were several others, dating back to the Medieval English era, where Blacks were disowned just for tolerating a Muggle-born in their presence. Apparently, Walburga Black didn't start the trend of blasting off blood traitors and squibs.

When Leo was finished, Gemini looked at him expectantly. "The second one here's a list of living descendants of these blood traitors. This is where where it gets tricky…." Leo continued. "Following what I said, I can't see how what Rodolphus said makes any sense because none of those who were blasted off are alive anymore."

"We're looking for an artifact, right? Maybe their descendants have it." Gemini said.

"I thought about that, but something seemed off: why would Rodolphus said _in_ the family if he meant to say a descendant? Disowned Blacks aren't considered family members anymore." Leo said dejectedly. "I can help you with the history of the family, but if we're talking tracking down an artifact from every disowned descendant, I'm afraid it's going to take longer than just book research."

Gemini jumped off the table. "We don't have to look at the entire family tree." She huffed. "We don't even know what we're looking for. Why don't we start with that?"

"Good idea." Leo said. He dragged one of the couches to the side of the room, taking a notebook and a pen before plopping down. "What do you think we're looking for?"

"Something powerful, obviously." Gemini said, sitting down next to him. She raised her legs up onto the couch and leaned on his arm as she watched him take notes. "After we get what we need, we just have to go back to Hogwarts with the Resurrection Stone and whatever it is we need and resurrect my father's body. And I have a faint idea where his body is, though…"

"Slytherin Corridors?" Leo nodded. "Figures. It's not like they'd place his body in Gryffindor Tower. How'd you k—Professor Slughorn?"

"Couldn't keep his mouth shut if it meant bragging about his contributions to the war to the Slug Club." Gemini smirked. "Do you know the corner down from the Potions classroom, the one where the hallway looks narrower as you head toward the Slytherin dormitory and near the picture of the beheaded man? The wall on the corner's enchanted to look like it's old as the walls next to it. But it's really a wall blocking off the hallway leading to the Dark Lord's resting place."

"That makes it easier for us then." Leo said as he scribbled on his notebook. "So Resurrection Stone plus x plus your father's body equals the Dark Lord's resurrection. Any ideas, bae?"

Gemini grinned. "Don't call me bae, that's such a Muggle thing to say." She pushed him away, but he laughed and pulled her closer and kissed the side of her hair. Ever since they kissed in the pavilion, they had been closer ever since, but Leo gave her enough space to let her think about what she really wanted from him. "What about the Elder Wand?"

Leo looked at her. "What about it?"

"Well, think about it. It's the most powerful wand in existence. If we need the Resurrection Stone to resurrect my father, then it means we're going to be doing some serious magic with it, and the Elder Wand seems like the thing we need." Gemini said. "Plus, do you think Dumbledore's a descendant of a Black? Even a disowned Black? He is a blood traitor, after all, so that could be what he meant. The wand's also in his tomb, so it technically _is_ still with him."

"Nope, the Dumbledores are one of the smaller wizarding families the Blacks have never bothered mingling with, especially after that thing with Dumbledore's father." Leo said. "And the Elder Wand's only the most powerful when it comes to dueling, the rest of Magic is based on the wizard's skill of magic. I learned that from Hermione when she was removing those pureblood laws in the Minstry."

"So it's not…" Gemini mumbled, wracking her brain trying to think of an answer. _If it's not the Elder Wand, what could be more powerful than that?_ She thought. _Dumbledore himself, possibly, if he wasn't dead and not my father's enemy. Morgana Le Fay, possibly—the most powerful Dark Witch of her age, and possibly the most powerful Dark Witch of all time, or at least, until I came along, hahaha. But really, the only one more powerful than Morgana is Merlin himself._

"I don't suppose Merlin's wand is at Grimmauld Place, is it?" Gemini asked blankly.

Leo shook his head. "Try an underground cave under Whitehall." He noticed the look on Gemini's face and scoffed. "If you think Hogsmeade was hard, that cave is a suicide mission. And besides, your father proved in the Battle of Hogwarts that using someone else's wand won't do much to help."

Gemini sighed. _Back to the drawing board,_ she told herself. She glanced at Leo, who was busy muttering to himself as he scribbled furiously at his notebook, and she felt that sensation where she couldn't stifle a smile on her lips. She just wanted to spend the day with him relaxing, just as they did for the earlier part of the day yesterday, but she knew he was right. Now that the Ministry knew they were looking for something, time was running out and Gemini knew there was no more time to lose before the Ministry possibly figured out what Rodolphus meant, and that meant not having to wait for the rest of the Death Eaters to come and help them solve it.

She glanced at the desk a few feet away and saw just how much effort Leo put into his research. There were over ten books opened and spread out on the floor, piles of crumpled banners and papers strewn about. Gemini felt guilty that it didn't really matter, especially with nowhere to go from that angle. She stood up and walked to the pile of banners and papers, reaching out for one with a bit more writing in the second. It had a lot of writing, but it looked like Leo gave up on it and tossed it aside.

"What's this?" Gemini asked.

Leo looked at the banner and scrunched his nose. "That's just the same as the second one, but it includes the living descendants who aren't disowned. Figured we just needed the shorter list."

She raised the banner until it was straight and saw that it was filled with so many names. On the list, after him, the Hitchens, and the other disowned cousins in their generation, was her name, written in red ink. Beneath her name, her cousin Draco Malfoy's name was also written in red ink, and beneath his, Teddy Lupin's was written in black. After their names were a long list of people in red and black names, most of which Gemini recognized. Abigail, Tamina, and most of her friends' names were there, as were the Death Eaters that followed her, all written in red ink. She recognized the names of Slytherins she grew up with written in red ink. She also recognized Harry Potter, his wife Ginny, and the horde of Weasley children from their brood.

 _All these people, descended from the wizarding equivalent of royalty, yet most of them don't even act like it,_ Gemini thought, scanning the list of black-inked names. _Half-bloods and blood traitors, every one of them._

She was amazed how more than half the names were written in black ink. The fact that the Weasleys had so many children was one of the reasons why, as well as the fact that the pureblood weren't into having large families. _Even the purebloods here aren't worthy to be a part of the family,_ she thought scathingly as Draco's name caught her eye. _Manipulative bastard. You cast me off and then try to use me for your damned company because you knew you could use me. When I've done my mission, I'm coming for you next. Malfoy Manor looked really nice, with all those armor and Dark artifacts and antiques. Maybe I'll ask father to get me your manor when this is over._

Meanwhile, while he made sounds of scribbling on his notebook, Leo was discreetly looking at Gemini, who was glaring silently at the banner, still in awe how one girl could make him feel the way he felt. _Stop acting like a stalker,_ he told himself. _It's already bad enough she's seven years younger, don't give her a reason to think you're creepy. How the hell can one girl make me feel this way?_

Even in a sweater and yellow pajamas and one of his black jackets and her hair tied back, there was something sexy about the way she looked. Whenever he looked at her, it was like his gut was being tugged at, but it in a good way. _What is it with this girl?_ Leo thought, smiling as she looked at one of the names intently.

Unlike Gemini, Leo had never felt love like this before. There were countless other before her: Slytherin girls who willingly went to empty classrooms at night with him, pureblood girls who had their hearts broken after futile attempts to win him over, relationships broken for the chance to be with him—hell, even Gemini's friends had tried to make a pass at him. In the inner pureblood circles of Slytherin, it was an open secret amongst them who Malcolm Carey really was, and while he was a descendant of a disowned Black and thus not a scion of the real Black family, he had the looks, the wealth, and the ideals of a trueborn Black, and because they refused to see the Weasleys as the modern quasi-ruling family of wizarding society, Leo was close enough to be a Black for most and was one of the most eligible bachelors of high wizarding society. But among all the beautiful purebloods, none of them managed to get close to him as Gemini so effortlessly did.

 _In a different world, it wouldn't have mattered if I loved her. If Narcissa Malfoy just told the Dark Lord to kill Harry again, things would be different and Gemini would have grown up to become the Gemini Morgana Black the Dark Lord and Aunt Bellatrix wanted and she would have been mine and I hers whether we willed it or not._ Leo thought emotionally, sighing as he tried looking down but looked back at her. _But maybe, just maybe, it's a whole lot better this way. I'd rather live in a world where she chooses me than to live in a world where somebody else made the choice for her. I'd make her fall in love with me all over again if I have to._

He thought of that world where her father had won long ago, and he knew that he would have married her months ago, after she graduated Hogwarts, if things went differently. She would have been more like her mother, possibly more like the pureblood Slytherin girls who cared more about blood purity and looks. She'd no doubt be more like Abigail than herself who, like him, grew up with the difficulties of being them. He couldn't imagine kissing and falling in love with a cold elitist like that, and he'd rather toil trying to make her kiss him the way they did yesterday than to marry someone like that.

"Leo?" He heard a snap and snapped out of his daydream and saw that she was standing in front of him, the crumpled banner in her left hand. "The red ink is for the pureblood Blacks, right?"

Leo nodded. "And black for the half-bloods and blood traitor ancestors. Why?"

She wrinkled her nose as though something seemed wrong. "What's the definition of a blood traitor?"

"A pureblood who openly enjoys the presence or association of Muggles and Mudbloods." Leo said. "Why?"

Gemini looked at the banner before speaking very quietly. "What about someone who, say, is responsible for destroying the greatest attempt to restore blood purity sixteen years ago?"

It took a while for Leo to understand. "Yes…it would be considered a blood traitor, now that I think about it." He said slowly. "The worst blood traitor in the world?"

She shrugged. "The worst blood traitor _in the family_ , at least. Traitor to my father's side of the war and lied? Abandoned the Dark Lord's own daughter to avoid conflict? Sounds like a family of blood traitors to me."

"Now we just have to find out—"

"I just remembered what we're looking for. I've never seen it, but he's mentioned it when I visited his house for my job interview. It's the oldest artifact in their house. It's really powerful. It's in the manor." Gemini said, unable to contain the excitement in her voice. "How soon can we get the Death Eaters together?"

"Tonight. I'll call everyone—"

"Not everyone. I have a plan."

 **~0~**

Harry looked at the room. To some, it seemed overkill having all of them here, but at this point he needed all the help he could get. Gemini and Leo Black have proven to be more dangerous than he estimated, considering his memory of Gemini Ridley and Malcolm Carey months ago. But after he saw the damage done to the Ministry of Magic, including the unconscious body of Abigail Flint, who was kidnapped despite her terminated friendship with Gemini, as well as the grotesque imitation of the Magic is Might statue that seemed to give anyone who looked at it an uncomfortable feeling, he knew he was dealing with a pair that was a real threat. A real threat that could possibly have a real plan at resurrecting Voldemort.

And he couldn't stop beating himself up over the fact that he didn't ask Leo who the Death Eaters were.

There were three main groups in the room, though there were several who weren't technically part of any but were there to help. The Aurors were noticeable amongst the crowd, the only ones wearing brown robes. Despite their different jobs, nearly everyone in Dumbledore's Army had returned to help Harry. And though most were already old and retired, the Order of the Phoenix members looked ready to do battle. There were also others: Arnold, who had been more eager to hunt down Gemini and Leo ever since their attack on the Ministry; Teddy Lupin, who sat next to Victoire Weasley, both of them looking very awkward as they tried to mend their relationship after Teddy's indiscretion; and the rest of the Weasley children from Bill and Percy—Percy's daughters, Molly and Lucy, were the first Ravenclaws of the Weasley family, and with their intelligence, Harry knew he needed all the help he could get in solving the clue.

They had been going at it for hours now, but none of them had any clear leads on what the clue was referring to.

"It must be talking about Sirius!" Neville exclaimed. "He's the only Gryffindor in their lot and he's the only one Black who supported Harry. Lots of stuff up in Grimmauld Place, remember? And you did say they were seen in Grimmauld Place. They must have found it somehow."

"Yes, but Leo would have told us if they got something there. He was under Veritaserum, after all, and he said it was the one thing they didn't have yet. If Voldemort's not alive then it can only mean they haven't figured it out yet." Hermione said. "I say we look into Hermia Black's descendants and see if her descendants have any noteworthy artifacts. I read in _Toujours Pur_ that she was arranged to marry Severin Slytherin and become the first person to marry into the Slytherin family and unite the Slytherins and Blacks together, but she eloped and married a Muggle-born."

"A Slytherin?" Ron asked dubiously. "When was this?"

"Around the 1700s."

"Well if that's Lestrange's definition of the worst blood traitor and if he can remember than, then I'm sure as hell he could have remembered her name and what it was she needed to look for."

The room burst back into incoherent squabbling.

"Sorry I'm late everyone!"

The door to the conference room opened and Luna Lovegood skipped inside. "The kids said they found a four-tailed Goblin in the yard and I took a while finding it." She skipped to the front of the room and sat on the empty seat next to Ginny. "What did I miss?"

Harry told her what Leo told her. When he was done, she smiled and looked serenely. "Oh. Well, have you searched Draco Malfoy yet?"

"Malfoy?" Harry repeated.

"Isn't it obvious?" Luna asked. "If his mother didn't lie, then Voldemort would have tried to kill you again and with no help in the forest, he'd probably have killed you, Harry. And of course they gave away Gemini Black to save their own skin instead of following that letter of raising Gemini to follow in her parents' footsteps. They're the closest to the Black Family in terms of nobility and ancestry, so of course everyone expects them to be the most loyal Death Eaters, and for them to be the one who betrays Voldemort and the plot to restore blood purity makes it even worse than mingling with non-purebloods or supporting Harry."

Harry stared at her, amazed at how quick she was to fill in the blanks. Her argument was perfect that even Hermione exclaimed at how they didn't see it. After Draco willingly testified against Gemini and named her Voldemort's daughter, Harry always thought he was on his side, though begrudgingly, and forgot to consider him. _But it's not Draco she wants, it's something he has,_ Harry thought. _And he doesn't have to be on her side for her to get what she needs from him._

"Right, but what does Gemini need from Draco?" Harry asked. He turned to Hermione. "Do we have a record of Draco's Dark artifacts?"

"We do. Let me check what she could possibly want." Hermione said, pulling out an iPad and scrolling through her encoded files.

"It's something Dark, obviously powerful, if Gemini thinks she can use the Resurrection Stone to resurrect her father." Harry mused. "Do you think it's Voldemort's wand?"

"No, it's not." Everyone stopped talking when Arnold spoke. Seated next to his parents, Arnold had not said much since the meeting began. He tried to keep his face straight, but he ended up looking very tense. "I've seen pictures of his wand in the library, and I saw it personally for the first time in Gemini's hand two days ago. No, it's something more powerful than Voldemort's wand."

All eyes turned to Hermione when she gasped out loud. "It's not a wand, Harry. It's far worse."

"What is it, Hermione?"

Hermione's lip quivered. "Merlin and Morgana's cup." She said gravely. "It—"

Harry knew what it did, and he knew how dangerous it would be if Gemini got her hands on it. He turned to the Aurors like lightning. "Send ten Aurors to the Malfoy Manor. Get Astoria Malfoy and their son somewhere safe. Protect the manor at all costs. We _cannot_ afford to let Gemini get her hands on that. Go!"


	66. One Last Artefact

Chapter 26

Draco Malfoy sighed in stress, knowing very well that he was wasting his company millions of galleons every second he wasn't working. He hadn't seen his desk empty of papers for a month as the issues and marketing strategies and tie-in projects kept piling in, and when he tried to push a little space on the table so he could rest his head, the papers set a chain reaction, pushing off a cup of quills onto the floor. He looked at the fallen cup in exasperation. _Oh, fuck it,_ he told himself as he banged his head on the desk.

In the past two months, he had been trying to do damage control, but with the fact that the wizarding community was in a constant state of fear, the fact that he had a hand in the cover-up wasn't going to die down any time soon. In exchange for admitting the truth about Gemini, the Ministry promised to give him priority protection. It seemed needless to Astoria at first, given that Gemini was cooperating with the Ministry, but ever since Gemini escaped and was proven to be more dangerous than they thought, the Malfoys were relieved to have Auror protection.

But unfortunately for Draco, the Aurors couldn't protect him from the nightmares that came to him often. He would have dreams of Gemini returning, coming for him and his family, her pretty face warped with fury like the night she found out the truth. He hated his days, but his nights proved to be no escape.

The Ministry also couldn't protect him from public opinion, though they ordered the _Daily Prophet_ not to write about him unnecessarily. But it was a well-known fact that his family hid Gemini from the Ministry, tried to hide her instead of turning her over to the Ministry, so the public now believed he was still a Death Eater waiting for Voldemort's return. Nobody said it out loud in the office, but Draco knew a lot of them were thinking it.

And as if that wasn't enough, the Potions Division still hasn't launched. With Gemini gone and disgraced and her name all over the potions, he knew there was no way he could launch it before the year ended. While there was still fear in the community, there was no way he could launch it.

He sat back up on his chair, wishing he had never looked for her, but he knew he had to put that aside and work. Part of the Auror's security involved them escorting him to and from work to his manor, and for security purposes he had to be transported in a long Muggle vehicle the Aurors called a "limo". It was spacious enough, and Draco didn't mind using Muggle vehicles for the sake of safety, but that meant he couldn't go home any time he'd like and had to be transported every six in the evening. Draco looked at his watch and saw he had fifteen minutes left to work. He looked at all the work that needed to be done and knew he'd get nothing done in fifteen minutes.

He heard a knock on the door. "Come in," he said, and his secretary stepped in, looking harried. "What is it, Dinah?"

"You have someone here to see you, Mr. Malfoy." Dinah said, trying to recompose herself. "A Mr. Goyle. He claims to have been your classmate in Hogwarts."

"Goyle?" Draco thought, confused. "Did he say what he wanted?"

"No, but…may I speak freely?" Dinah asked hesitantly. Draco nodded. "He claims you know the location of Gemini Black."

Draco rolled his eyes. He had heard what the others have said about him, including that. According to the rumors, he was pretending to be innocent but was secretly supporting his cousin, waiting for the day the Dark Lord returned before openly declaring his loyalty to blood purity. He claimed to have changed his views on purity, but why did he marry a Slytherin pureblood if he did not discriminate? He remembered how lost Goyle could be when he and Crabbe were not there, so if he believed the rumors to be true, then he definitely hasn't changed.

He looked at the papers, and he knew he'd rather see what Goyle had to say than to futilely get work done. "Send him in."

Goyle stepped in moments later, looking bigger and older than the last time Draco saw him. Goyle did not waste time with courtesies. "Where's Black, Malfoy?"

Draco fumed and stood up. "I beg your pardon?"

"Don't play games with me, Malfoy. I know you're hiding her somewhere." Goyle sneered. "It's been sixteen years, I know what your game is. Pretending to be innocent so Potter wouldn't think about looking at the house he's protecting. You're hiding Gemini Black in your manor! Bloody brilliant, if you ask me, but you're not fooling me."

Goyle grinned like a kid on Christmas, but it made him look stupid to Draco. Draco scowled. "I don't know what rumors you've been hearing, Goyle—"

"They're not rumors." Goyle leaned towards menacingly. "You know where she is and I want to help you. I know a few others who would want to help, Malfoy. I heard she's planning on killing every Mudblood like her father, and I want in on it. I think I'll start with Granger! That bitch that killed Crabbe…"

Draco slammed his forearm on Goyle's meaty neck, slamming his former friend back against the wall. "Keep it down!" Draco hissed. "Do you have any idea how long it took everyone to trust me? Don't you remember how hard it was for Death Eater's children to fit in after all that?"

Goyle spat. "That's because you mingled with the wrong people." He said coldly. "If you stayed with us, you'll see nothing's very different. We do the same, say the same—we can't get arrested for freedom of speech, after all."

Draco rolled his eyes. "See, this is why I left people like you. There are more important things than blood purity, Goyle, and I've seen enough people your kind of people would call filth to know that they're not beneath me."

"Whatever you say," Goyle said, though it was obvious he was not convinced.

"Fine. You want to see that my cousin's not in my house?" Draco huffed. "Fine, I'll show you. I hope you like Muggle transportation."

They took the limo, driven and guarded by three Aurors, back to Malfoy Manor. The limo passed the gate and the two of them saw at least two more Aurors roaming the grounds. Draco and Goyle got out of the limo and approached the door.

"The other two with Tori?" Draco asked one Auror by the door. The Auror nodded and Draco continued in, leading Goyle behind him. Apart from the house elves Draco summoned for afternoon tea, there was no one inside.

"Keeping the Aurors out while you keep Gemini in?" Goyle taunted.

"No, it's to keep Scorpius from feeling like a prisoner. A small compromise with the Aurors." Draco said, rolling his eyes. "I forgot how extraordinarily stupid you were, Goyle. Follow me to the sitting room, if you can manage it."

They walked down the long hall and into the sitting room, the fireplace obviously blocked by the Floo Network, the pit partially blocked by golden bars. Draco stopped in front of the couch and turned to Goyle. "Now—"

The blow to the face caught him by surprise and Draco only had a faint idea of what was happening when he hit the floor. He tried to scream for help, but a second later he felt Goyle's body pummeling him, squeezing him to the floor. Draco tried reaching for his wand, but Goyle warningly pressed his wand on his lower temple.

"Goyle's not as stupid as you think, cousin." Goyle said. It was Goyle's voice, but Draco knew it wasn't Goyle. It was faster than the normal way he spoke, and slightly higher-pitched but not quite effeminate. He knew one person who spoke that way. He opened his eyes and looked up at Goyle, and for the first time, noticed the glazy greenish film over his eyes. He had seen those eyes several times in the past: the Knight Bus conductor the Dark Lord manipulated, and Pius Thicknesse, the Minister who was on their side.

He looked frantically around the room. "Gemini? Where are you?"

"I've had enough of your _concern_ when you destroyed my life so where I am is none of your concern." Goyle spat. "I can see through Goyle's eyes while I control him. Just another one of the perks of being a Slytherin descendant. You know, something you tried to keep hidden from me but ultimately failed doing."

Goyle's imperiused eyes widened as he pressed the wand closer to his temple. Draco winced at the force, which felt like was about to pop a hole in his face. "What do you want?" Draco asked, knowing it would be a dumb move to try to scream for the Aurors.

Goyle smiled. "Merlin and Morgana's Cup. I want it."

Draco gasped. _It will make her too powerful for Potter to beat._ He couldn't bear the thought of giving it to her. "And why should I do that? Maybe I'd rather die than see you get your hands on it." Draco challenged. "Maybe I'll scream and call the Aurors and they'll kill Goyle. You can always get your Death Eaters to do your dirty work for you, but if that's what you're after, I'll make sure you never get your hands on it no matter how many people you kill."

He expected Goyle to look furious. Instead, he looked almost amused. "You know, I kind of expected that answer from a blood traitor." Goyle said calmly. "But what if—just what if—the next people that get killed happen to be a certain blonde mother and child out visiting the mother's parents?"

Draco's breathing stopped. "No."

"Scream what you want." Goyle shrugged, as though this whole ordeal was pointless. "Get the Aurors to hide the cup—Merlin knows how long I have before they figure out what I'm looking for—call the Aurors, get Goyle killed. He's under the Imperius Curse, he doesn't have a choice. Do what you will, I don't care. I'll even let you live. But then again, I heard the Greengrasses don't lock their windows, though breaking them open is just as fun as opening them. I wonder how easy it is to hit your tiny son with a Killing Curse. Wonder how long Astoria can last with the Cruciatus Curse? I'm betting ten minutes. Leo's going to bet five."

"HOW DID YOU KNOW THEY'RE—?"

"…where your family was?" Goyle sneered. "Weren't you listening to Goyle, Draco? There are others on my side. Death Eaters who are loyal to me as they were to my father. And the thing is, you'll never really know who you can trust now, can't you?"

"You leave them out of this, Gemini!" Draco said forcefully, straining to keep his voice down. He'd give up his own soul if Gemini threatened him with his own family.

"Thought so. Then give me the cup." Goyle said. "Look. You're from House Slytherin, so you know all about Preservation. I'm sure you'd know all about that when you gave up your cousin to preserve yourself. Anyway, I'm giving you the chance to preserve your family. Give Goyle the cup, let him walk away, and I promise I won't involve your family…so as long as you stay out of my way."

Draco wanted to scream. At that moment, he wanted nothing more than to take Gemini out. She didn't truly understand why he and his parents did what they did, and now she was putting his family's life on the line, and that was the one thing he could not gamble on.

"Why should I believe your promise?" Draco countered. "How can I trust you?"

"You can't." Goyle said coldly. "But would you really risk Astoria and Scorpius' life for that?"

Draco grunted as Goyle pressed his wand more. "Fine. I'll take you to the cup. Just…just stay away from my family when this is all done."

Goyle pulled him up to his feet, taking Draco's wand from his pocket before the idea popped in Draco's mind. Goyle giggled in a way that reminded Draco of a fatter Dolores Umbridge. "Gladly."

Draco glared at him but staggered forward and led him downstairs and down a long path of hallways. Goyle remained quiet and stayed close behind Draco, and all Draco could hear was the sound of their footsteps and his heart beating wildly.

"Gemini," Draco said quietly, a last ditch attempt to save both the cup and his family. "If this is about what happened when you were a baby…"

In a quick speed he was never capable of, Goyle entwined his fingers with Dracos and proceeded to forcefully bend it backwards. Draco yelped in pain, his urge to scream for the Aurors growing. Goyle smiled coldly at him, knowing very well what would happen if he did.

He leaned towards Draco. "I don't care what happened before. I just want the cup, so shut the hell up."

Draco breathed quickly to ease the pain, massaging his broken fingers as Goyle shoved him to move forward.

Draco eventually stopped in front of black double doors that appeared to not have seen human contact in a long time. Draco opened the doors to reveal a room that even the house elves did not enter, as most of the cases and pedestals and shelves were covered in a layer of dust and cobwebs. The curtains that covered the tall windows looked dusty and a shade of faded gray. He pushed past the thin dust and down to the end of the room.

As they walked onwards, Gemini, though she could only see what Goyle was seeing, felt a strong sense of comfort as he passed by the glass cases. She saw severed heads, swords that seemed to glow as they got near it, and she was certain the skeleton cased in glass seemed to twitch as she looked at it. Finally, Draco stopped in front of a pedestal and removed the glass case. On top of the pedestal was a faded cup, its design very ancient yet still looked brand new. It was smaller than she imagined, and black and green gems shone oddly around the sides of it.

Draco took the cup off its pedestal and placed it in Goyle's hands.

"This is it?" Goyle asked, examining the cup in his hands. "Merlin and Morgana's cup?"

"That's it." Draco nodded. "Though it loses all its value once you drink from it."

He glared at him. "Do you really think I'm stealing it to keep it as an _artifact_? With this cup, I'll be powerful enough to bend the Resurrection Stone's powers and bring my father back."

Goyle's words sent a chill down Draco's spine. He wasn't sure if Gemini would be true to her word. If she did fulfill her promise to stay away from his family, her father was a different matter. One of the first things he would surely do is look for him, the traitorous Death Eater. At that moment, he knew he had to try getting that cup away from her, or even prevent her from using it.

"Yes," Draco agreed nervously. The wits he had used to work for Gemini's father was now being used for the opposite. "The person who drinks from the cup of Merlin and Morgana absorbs some of their powers and can bend the oldest of magic, remove the irreversible curses, and can even create new spells that defy the laws of magic. However…I'm told the drinker has to be near the leagues of Merlin and Morgana. Otherwise, drinking from the cup is just a cup."

Goyle scoffed. "Do you honestly not remember the night the truth came out? Did you know that I control snakes in my sleep? Did you know that I found the Resurrection Stone because it _called_ me? I am the descendant of Salazar Slytherin. I think I'll take my chances with the cup."

"Just a legend I was told." Draco said defensively, immediately thinking of a better strategy. "Father got the cup when I was five. Borgin was telling the legend to us, said that he'd sell his soul to be able to keep the cup, but father's money was tempting enough to give it to his collection. It's a legend after all. Father, of course, didn't trust Borgin because he once tried selling the Parkinsons a fake artifact, but Borgin swore it was the real artifact." He shrugged to show his indifference, but the moment he did it, he saw the cold fury in Goyle's eyes and he knew he made a big mistake.

"Your attempts of trying to either imply that the power of the cup is a legend or that this is a fake cup is so feeble that I wonder if you're even trying." Goyle's lips curled into a smile. "I can see why it took you an army of Death Eaters and Severus Snape just for you to finish your mission to kill him."

Goyle laughed heartily, and then sighed as he pointed his wand at him. "Oh Draco, I wish you hadn't tried to do that. _Sectumsepra!_ "

A long jet of light came out of Goyle's wand, hitting Draco in his face. The pain was all he could take and he screamed in pain, half-disappointed that the room was at the back of the house and he knew the chances of the Aurors hearing him were slim. The pain did not subside and he felt his hands on his face quickly become slick with blood. One of his fingers slipped into the cut, stinging him, but he realized that the cut was not as deep as the one that nearly killed him eighteen years ago in the bathrooms at Hogwarts.

He felt a hand grab at his hair, pulling him up from the floor. Goyle put his mouth close to his ears, though his voice was anything but soft. "I could have made Goyle cut deeper and slice your head in half. That'd be a sight. But a promise is a promise. I'm not coming back, just make sure you don't give me a reason to." Goyle tightened on his grip. "And if you know what's good for you, you won't be a hero and do anything stupid."

Goyle dropped Draco onto the floor before walking out the door. He continued walking out of the halls and past the front door, where two Aurors looked at him but shrugged and kept making their rounds. He walked down the pathway with a look of indifference, the cup hidden poorly in one of the pockets in his jacket.

That's when two more came. They came in pairs, landing on the left side of the yard, scaring a peacock away. They ran brusquely towards the manor, catching the attention of the other Aurors. As they passed Goyle without a single glance, Goyle quieted his footsteps.

"…warn Malfoy…" one of the new Aurors said.

"Lock it down. No one gets out…" Said the other.

 _Walk faster, Goyle._ Gemini's voice rang in his head. _They're coming._

Goyle walked faster, trying not to get the attention of the Aurors that were pouring in. From time to time he could hear them shouting urgently at the others, too preoccupied with their own motives to notice Goyle leaving.

"Make sure the cup…"

"Do we get the cup to a safe location?"

"Guard the back…"

Gemini's voice told him to get a glimpse at the manor. He turned around and saw at least ten forming by the fountain.

A moment later, he saw the front door creak open, and Draco Malfoy, bloody from the cut slicing his face, limped out of the door.

"GOYLE'S IMPERIUSED! IT'S GEMINI! HE'S GOT THE CUP!" Draco screamed.

 _Get out of there, Goyle!_ Gemini's voice screamed in his head. _Head for the gate. Avoid the Aurors._

Goyle ran as fast as he could. There were more Aurors lowering to the sky, and as they saw the Aurors on the ground casting spells at Goyle, they began to fly aimed at him.

He reached the gate but the Aurors were closing in. A few feet away, Harry Potter hexed his legs, freezing them to the ground. No matter how hard Goyle tried, he was stuck.

"Take the cup out of your jacket and into your hand!" Harry commanded. "And then put your wand down and your hands in the air!"

Goyle stood silent, waiting for Gemini's voice. _Do it, Goyle. Get the cup and put your hands in the air._

Goyle slowly obeyed, taking the cup out of his jacket and over his head.

 _Too easy,_ Harry though suspiciously, but he knew he had to act before Gemini could do anything else. "Okay, now—"

The cup flew out of Goyle's hands. The Aurors watched as it flew upwards, flying towards the nearby forest hills, and into the hands of Gemini Black, who smiled evilly at them before disapparating.

Four other Aurors detained Goyle, who went down willingly and with no struggle, though he screamed that the Dark Lord was coming and there was nothing they could do about it. The rest of them turned dejectedly to Harry.

"Send half the Aurors to Hogwarts." Harry said seriously, his voice quiet. He turned to the Aurors and they all saw the undeniable fear in his face. "I want half of the Aurors on guard in Hogwarts at all times starting today. I'm afraid the worst has come: the only thing standing between Gemini and resurrecting her father is us."


	67. Too Much Power

Chapter 27

"Okay, any questions?" None of them raised their hands. "Now that I have the cup and the Aurors know what my plan is, they're pretty much at the same level as we are. They know I'll be after my father's body, and by now they're probably guarding Hogwarts. They know that with the cup I'll be the most powerful witch for the next week or so, so I think they'll think it's pointless to try and hide his body. Plus it's more strategic to wait for me to attack Hogwarts, seeing as they've defended it before seventeen years ago. But whether it's at Hogwarts or anywhere else, this plan has _got_ to work. No questions?"

Cassio raised his hand. "Do we attack tomorrow?" He asked. Gemini looked at the nervous glances between the Death Eaters and she knew they all wanted to ask the question.

"No. Not on Christmas Eve, and not on Christmas." Gemini said, and they all seemed to relax. "If we do this on those days and—knock on wood—something goes wrong and we have to retreat, the Ministry and everyone else will note your absence during the holiday festivities and put two and two together. Draco knows Goyle is a Death Eater, and he knows there are other Slytherins supporting me as well, so if you're not in the Greengrass party tomorrow he'll figure it out."

"So…on the twenty-sixth?" Cassio clarified.

Gemini nodded. "Besides," she said with a smirk, "think of the Aurors who'll be very disappointed they gave up Christmas to guard a castle in the middle of nowhere."

The others laughed. Gemini scoffed, leaning back on her chair at the head of the table. She glanced at Leo, seated on her left, who grinned back at her. _It's time,_ she thought. _In two days, it will all be over. It will be my father's turn to do this._ "Very well. If that's all, I'll see you all in two days."

They got up and left, Gemini's friends wishing her happy holidays as they left, until it was just Gemini and Leo.

"Are you ready?" Leo asked after the last person left. Gemini looked at the cup in front of her, and back at Leo, who was holding a bottle of wine. Gemini nodded and let Leo wine into the cup before she nervously took the cup with both hands.

"So if I don't become the most powerful witch after drinking this, I've either wasted one Death Eater for nothing, or I'll be dead." Gemini said. She lifted the cup to her lips. "Here goes nothing."

The room was quiet as Gemini drank from the cup. When she was done, she set it on the table, waiting for a sign to show that something was different. After a few minutes, Gemini was staring at her fingertips, waiting to see even her fingers shake a little. Nothing happened.

"How do you feel?" Leo asked.

"Like I just drank wine from a really old cup." Gemini said dryly. "It's like…nothing happened."

"You want to try it out?"

"Got any ideas?"

"Do you have the Resurrection Stone?" Leo asked. When Gemini nodded, he snapped his fingers and a house elf appeared. "Get an egg from the pantry."

The house elf disappeared and appeared moments later. Leo took the egg and gave it to Gemini. "Try bringing this back to life. It's a start."

Gemini placed the egg on the table and took out the Resurrection Stone from her pocket. The moment it was in her hands, however, everything seemed different. All of a sudden, it wasn't as if the cup hadn't given her power or made her a very powerful witch. It was as if the cup was just a memory refresher, and the secrets on how to resurrect the dead had been at the back of her head the entire time.

All of a sudden, Gemini knew what she had to, and the way it came to her head was like she had known it all along.

She turned the Stone twice in her hand and drew out her father's wand and pointed it at the egg. She heard herself muttering a language she knew she couldn't understand but at the same time she understood perfectly. It felt like her father's wand was infused to her hand, an even more magical extension to her own arm. White smoke came out of the wand, which formed a small cloud over the egg. Gemini felt her hands shake after a while, but she knew the spell would go horribly wrong if she broke the spell.

Finally, the white smoke stopped coming out and the cloud morphed into the shape of a chick, which then dropped down onto the egg and disappeared. Gemini leaned back, feeling weirdly tired and dejected as the egg remained unmoved.

Seconds later, the egg cracked and a yellow chick stepped out of the shells.

Leo and Gemini looked at each other and smiled I relief. Leo clapped and stood up. "Amazing!" He cheered. "We've got this!"

"I know." Gemini said, relieved that it had worked. She turned to Orion, who was resting on top of a glass table on the side. _Take care of it._

Orion slithered onto the table and effortlessly devoured the chick with one bite. The two watched as Orion digested the chick before slithering back to his original post on the side of the room.

"I knew I've always had a thing for trilingual girls." Leo grinned when that was done.

"Trilingual _purebloods_ , if I'm not mistaken. And I don't suppose you know any other girls that can speak Parseltongue and some old Merlin-age language."

"Maybe not, but I'm very specific about the kind of girls I like." Leo said seriously. "And on a totally unrelated change of topic, you must be pretty sad that you'll be here for Christmas. Here. Alone. With me."

Gemini rolled her eyes and scowled. "Please, spare me your bull. You and I know you're enjoying this."

"Maybe I am." He smiled. "Are you?"

Gemini stood up, and went in front of Leo. "Not in the least bit. Besides—" She stopped. She felt a strong emotion coming from Leo, something she never sensed before. Leo's face remained calm, but she could sense something far from it coming from him. She couldn't read his mind, but she could sense a strong emotion from him, and when she looked into his eyes, it was only then did she know what he was feeling. "You hate this, don't you?" She asked slowly. "I can sense you're not pleased about something."

"I…" Leo said strongly, but decided against it. He sighed. "Gemini, you know and you've seen the guy I was like before I even met you. I'm not used to this, being more in love with a girl who isn't even sure about her feelings for me. It's different, and I'm not saying it's a bad thing, but…Gemini, do you know how hard it is to feel that way for the first time? Of course I love you, and of course I want to spend as much alone time as I can with you, and I'm tired of having you use it against me every single time. I love you, and you know I'd do anything for you, but for you to constantly do that…you don't have to rub it in. It just…it feels weird."

Gemini couldn't help but roll her eyes, uncaring on her part that her reaction made Leo look taken aback. _What we have is pretty good, why the fuck are you rocking the boat?_ "Well I'm sorry if playful banter only goes one way and I didn't know you could take it well."

"I can," Leo said tightly. "But it's different when you do it. It's like you _like_ leaving me hanging like some toy that keeps you entertained while you're here. It makes me wonder sometimes if that's all I am to you."

"So that's what you want me to do?" Gemini demanded. "Tell you on-the-spot, right now, that I love you so that your little masculine ego won't be offended?"

"You're making me sound like the bad guy!"

"That's because you are!" Gemini shouted at him. "I can't believe you feel this way after all this time. I'm not even doing anything!"

"Exactly! You're making me think that you'll never feel the same way and we don't even have a chance!" Leo yelled back. If she could sense what he was feeling, he figured there was no point in trying to hold back. "In case you've forgotten, this relationship is nothing like your parents'—and I'm not your mother in this relationship. I'm not like Bellatrix, who'll remain devoted to you no matter what you do. We share the same ideals, the same—well, everything—but I'm not sticking around if you'll keep playing me like this. I'm not Arnold Longbottom."

He immediately regretted saying that last bit, but Gemini's eyes narrowed in cold fury and he knew it was too late. "No, wait. Gemini, I—"

"Don't flatter yourself," Gemini said scathingly. "I never said you were."

She turned around and headed for the door, grabbing her jacket from a house elf that appeared. "I'm going out." She said tightly. "Don't wait up."

"Gemini, don't go…" Leo said, but his request fell on deaf ears. "You're going out? Alone? When Aurors are possibly going to kill you on sight?"

Gemini stopped and turned, her eyes blazing red. "I'm currently the most powerful witch in existence, Leo. I think I'll be good for a few hours."


	68. Closure

_**Update: Hi! I uploaded this chapter earlier today, but apparently there were many typo errors. I was in the university when I uploaded this, so I was rushing to get it posted. I edited the chapter already, so sorry for any confusion! ~J**_

Chapter 28

"I see you haven't bothered to decorate for Christmas."

The split-second he hesitated, time seemed to slow down for Gemini and, with a careless wave of her hand, made Arnold's wand fly out of his hand before he could even lift it.

"And if you're working for the Ministry now, you're a bad example. Walking into a house without turning the lights off?" Gemini taunted, swinging her legs over the couch. "What if a Death Eater showed up? Hahaha, you can stop looking like I'm Voldemort himself. Relax, I just want to talk."

Arnold stepped forward into the living room hesitantly. "Are you alone?" Gemini nodded. "Then aren't you afraid I'll detain you? Or aren't you afraid the Ministry's watching our house?"

Gemini's lips curled into a smile. " _Our_ house. That's cute." She said sarcastically, but Arnold noted the bitterness in her voice and the way she looked away. "And as for the Ministry, either Harry Potter isn't telling you about Merlin and Morgana's Cup or you haven't been paying attention. Either way, I'm sure you know what that is and what it does, and right now the only person that should be afraid by now…is you."

Arnold tensed, but he tried not to show it. "That may be so, but I know you wouldn't be here for no reason. Especially not without that guy."

"His name is Leo, Arnold." Gemini said tightly, and Arnold noticed her look down as she said his name. _Bingo,_ he thought.

"But it must be important." Arnold finished. He sat on the other couch across hers, and the moment he sat down, a fire blazed in the fireplace at the end of the room. Gemini's face was clearer now. Her curly hair, which had always been tied back the last times he saw her, was loose and reminded him of the days Gemini wasn't always on the run and lounged around the Leaky Cauldron. Her eyes were a faded shade of red, and she looked weary when she wasn't in the dark. "I won't call the Ministry or anything. I haven't the night you escaped, and I promise I won't now. But do tell me, when are you planning to get your father's body?"

"Possibly tomorrow…" Gemini said thoughtfully.

"Please, knowing you, I _know_ it won't be tomorrow." Arnold grinned, and Gemini, against her calm exterior, laughed. He sighed. "Too bad I can't tell the Aurors. Such a shame really, it _is_ Christmas Eve tomorrow. Nonetheless, why did you come?"

"Wow, really?" Gemini asked skeptically. "You won't try to get anything else out of me?"

"You didn't come to be asked questions." Arnold shrugged. "And if I ask anything, I wouldn't be able to use it or tell the Aurors if I keep my promise. I think I'd go with plausible deniability. Remember: no matter what you've done, you know how I feel about you."

 _It's like you like leaving me hanging like some toy that keeps you entertained while you're here. It makes me wonder sometimes if that's all I am to you._ Leo's words rang through her head. "Do I?" Gemini sighed.

Arnold nodded. "Of course you do. I've told you that over and over so long ago. Even if it seems like I'm shooting to kill every time you invade some place, I still do love you. So, what's wrong?"

She told him everything that had happened earlier, careful not to mention anything about their plan. _Even if I tell him, it's not like he's going to tell anyone,_ Gemini thought. _Arnold would rather die before telling anyone._

"And then I just panicked. I could go anywhere, but at the same time, I have never felt so trapped. So many decisions, so many plans, yet, at that moment, knowing how I really felt about Leo was the most important thing in the world and even with all this power, I didn't know how to answer him. I didn't know where to go, so…" Gemini looked at Arnold, who was struggling to hide a grimace. "I know this is just as weird as I think it is: talking to my ex-fiancée about my current, well, I don't know, who nearly tried to kill him. But…"

"I know, I know. It's fine." Arnold forced a smile. "You know he loves you, right?"

"Yeah…"

He looked away. "Do you love him?"

Gemini rolled her eyes. "I thought I just talked about that."

"You gave an excuse as to why you left your hideout. You've never really answered the question."

"I don't know…it's difficult." Gemini grimaced. "Was it ever this difficult with me? Is it difficult for you now?"

Arnold scoffed. "It terrifies me how much I love you. I'm breaking so many Ministry precautions just by sitting here, talking to you, and I'm genuinely trying to examine this guy for you." He laughed quietly. "You know, all I've done, trying to stop you in Hogsmeade or trying to hex you at the Ministry, it'd make you mad, but I was actually trying to kill you."

Gemini looked pointedly at him, but she shook her head and let him continue. "Ever since Hermione told me that you were connected to your father and as long as you live, the threat of him returning lives, I knew the Aurors were going to kill you sooner or later, and I joined them because I'd want to be the one who saves you. I wanted to kill you because you weren't the person I thought you were. At least, I thought the girl I loved was the same girl who escaped the Ministry."

"But now?" Gemini prodded.

"I realized that the Gemini Ridley I knew would never have escaped the Ministry if she knew she was a threat." Arnold said solemnly. "Possibly even die then let her father change what she thought. But quite obviously, I think she either died or she had never existed in the first place."

"Well, which was it?"

He shook his head. "I'll never know. Maybe this is who you were all along and Leo was right that I chose to look at what I wanted you to be."

"And you still think you love me either way?"

"I _know_ I do."

Gemini was taken aback. " _Why_?"

He told her why. To Gemini, it was like hearing all the nice words she heard months ago that made her fall in love with him. They were descriptions of herself, descriptions so kind and said so genuinely that it was like Arnold alone could only see that what he said was true.

But at that moment, it didn't leave butterflies in her stomach like before. It didn't make her blush or want to kiss him for being so nice, and her cynical side took over and she couldn't help but scowl.

"Arnold…" Gemini said when he finished. "That's not who I am. I don't know about you, but that girl was never me."

He looked hurt, but he smiled. "Well, then I'll say one thing that's true now: you're someone worth fighting for." He said, and Gemini felt comfortable, knowing that, at least _that_ seemed true in a certain way. "And possibly—most likely—Leo thinks the same thing."

"No he doesn't. You remember the " _I'm not your mother-slash-Arnold-Longbottom"_ bit?"

"But he risked his life for you." Arnold pointed out. "For all he knew, we would have tortured the answers out of him instead of use Veritaserum. Let him say what he wants, his action speaks louder."

Gemini huffed. "Why are you so nice?"

"I'm not nice, I'm honest." Arnold smiled. "But really, I think you're someone worth fighting for. And I think Leo thinks so too."

Gemini looked at Arnold and smiled. "Merlin's beard, this is harder than trying to resurrect my father."

"Well, it took me a miracle just to get you to notice me," Arnold recalled. "Is it going to take a miracle before you understand what you really feel about him?"

"You're actually talking to me about this?"

"This is the first time I've seen you smile in a long time." Arnold shrugged. "I'll always love you, but if that's what makes you happy…"

Gemini sighed. "I think this is why I loved you once," she said quietly, noticing the wince he made at the word _once_. "I could tell you anything and you'd never hate me."

"But it wasn't enough?"

"No. I don't think it was."

"Oh…" Arnold said quietly. "So, anything I should know about when you attack Hogwarts?"

"Yeah, you should stay away."

"Don't think so."

"Then you're not going to like what you're going to see."

"I'll take my chances." Arnold stood up. "This is getting too close to a subject I'd rather not have any knowledge of, so I think I'm going to call it a night. If you still don't want to go back to your hideout you're welcome to stay here for the night, though you might want to leave before dawn."

"Thanks," Gemini said, taking his hand and standing up. "But I think I'm good. Thank you, Arnold."

She wrapped her arms around him in a tight embrace, bringing back so many old memories of them, back when things were simple and she was happy. At that moment, she thought she would cry, but she didn't. Instead, she felt a soft feeling of comfort, like she was talking to a friend who truly listened to her. She knew she didn't love Arnold the same way she once did, but she was happy that one part of their relationship lasted, one where she knew she could count on him for anything.

"You know I can't wish you luck for your future, right?" Arnold whispered in her ear.

Gemini let go of him and laughed. "I can say the same. You take care of yourself, Arnold."

She turned and walked out the door.

~0~

The next morning, she found Leo where he always was when he tried distracting himself in the morning: in the gym of the Flint Summerhouse. Leo was busily pounding away at a punching bag, grunting louder than usual as though it was more than just exercise he was trying to do. When he saw her standing by the door, he immediately stopped and dropped his hands.

"Hey," he said quietly. "I've been looking for you all night."

"Well you certainly did a bad job of it." Gemini said flatly.

"I'm not the powerful one, remember? Can't really go out-out looking for you. I figured you were safe on your own."

Gemini smirked. "I'm sorry about last night."

"No, I'm sorry." Leo said. "I should never have reacted that way. I love you, and If you need time to sort out what you really feel for me…"

"As it so happens, I don't need more time" Gemini said, walking forward. She smoothly wrapped her arms around his neck and Leo placed his hands on her waist as she pulled him to her and kissed him. "I love you too, Leo, and you don't have to ever think I don't feel the same way about you."

Leo kissed her back, brushing her hair back. He smiled. "Christmas got a lot less awkward then."


	69. Night Before Dawn

_**Hi everyone! Again, I'm sorry for the long wait. With university academics and media organizations, I'm trying to post at least one chapter per week. Thank you for waiting for this chapter!**_

Chapter 29

"Are you awake?"

"Yes. I can't sleep."

"Because of tomorrow?"

"That, and maybe because I had Christmas sex with my boyfriend for the first time."

Leo grinned.

"But yes, I'm nervous about tomorrow." Gemini sighed, sitting up from the bed. "If anything goes wrong, I don't think we have a second chance. Even under the powers of the cup, I can think of a lot of ways it can go wrong. I'm powerful, but I'm not invincible. If the Aurors were smart and thought to use Muggle weapons, a single sniper shot could kill me. Anything that could kill me before I use my powers can—"

She was interrupted as Leo kissed her on the lips. "Everything will go according to plan, my love." He breathed.

Gemini slowly pulled away. "You think so?"

"I know so." He wrapped his hand over hers. "It's a dangerous plan, naturally, but if there was anything too risky to get the job done, believe me, I'd have seen it by now."

"You're right." Gemini leaned back on the headboard. "Can you imagine? Two months, two months of searching and planning and evading the Ministry—it all comes down to this."

"Yeah, so glad to finally meet the dad." Leo said sarcastically and laughed. "Kidding. It would be good to finally have your father here, though. He was revered even after his death, secretly amongst us purebloods."

"And we don't have to control the Death Eaters anymore, thank Merlin." Gemini added. "Do you think after all this is done, I could get a normal life? I mean, I am Voldemort's daughter and all, but I thought that once a pureblood society's restored and all…"

Leo laughed softly. "Have you honestly had a normal life ever since you found out you're Gemini Black? You and I will never _do_ normal after tomorrow."

"I guess not." Gemini said. She looked at the bedside table on her left. "Almost forgot…Between lunch, that Elie Saab dress Abby got me, and that emerald necklace you got me, I completely forgot I got this for you."

She opened the drawer and pulled out two objects. "Did you really think I wasn't going to get you anything for Christmas? Merry Christmas, Leo."

Leo took the smaller one out of her hands first. It was a thick golden ring with the House of Black crest engraved at the top. He examined the ring before slowly slipping it in his finger. "Where did you—"

"Grimmauld Place, obviously." Gemini smirked. "It's beyond me why there aren't any Aurors guarding it, though when I went in, the house didn't seem to struggle with my and Harry's ownership issue as much as it did before. I found the ring, and I thought you might like something Astronomy-related from the Black Family, but I couldn't find a telescope or something, so I got you this!"

She handed him a black rectangular case. Leo opened it to find the inside lined with red velvet, containing several daggers in different shapes, all of them shining and having hilts with their family colors. Leo picked one up, carefully examining the edge of the blade. "These daggers date back to the first Black generations. Allegedly the knives that killed the last Muggle King who knew of magic's existence, and a few Blacks opted to kill the Muggles who knew about them than to use memory charms."

"How do you know that?"

"Most powerful witch, remember? I just think of what I want to know, put my hand on it, and suddenly I know."

Leo put the dagger back, closed the box, placed it on the table, and slid closer to her. "And can you tell what I'm thinking?" He smiled mischievously.

Gemini playfully waved a hand over his face. "That my gift was a lot better than yours?"

"Hey, don't knock off those emeralds. It cost me an arm and a leg. Cost me a few fingers to get her to keep quiet about it too."

"I'm kidding, it's lovely." Gemini smiled, leaning down on his side as he wrapped an arm around her and pulled her closer to him. She fiddled with the necklace with one hand, a simple silver chain with a silver and emerald pendant of a heart as large as the bird skull pendant on her mother's necklace. She gently raised her head and kissed him. "It's my new favorite necklace. I'll wear it tomorrow, for good luck."

"Glad you liked it. I love my gifts too." Leo grinned. "But do you know what I'd love now?"

Gemini smiled. "I think I can guess."

Two hours and a bottle of champagne later, Gemini and Leo had retreated to the balcony. It was around midnight already, and the two of them enjoyed the chilly night watching the snow fall to the ground and the nearby lights of the village far away from the hill of the summerhouse. They watched in silence, knowing that, in a few hours, they were about to embark on the last step to bringing back the Dark Lord.

Finally, Leo coughed. "What are you going to do when this is over?"

"I think we already discussed this." Gemini said dryly. "After my father's back—"

"You're going to be a Death Eater too and help him restore the wizarding society back to its former glory, I know." Leo said. "But after that? I mean, we keep saying we're going to live out our lives in this new society and try to live normal—as normal as we possibly can—yet do we even know what that means?"

"Please don't tell me you're one of those "philosophical-after-sex" kind of guy… " She stopped and looked at Leo, his expression telling her to answer the question. She sighed. "Well…I've considered taking over Malfoy Apothecary. Obviously Draco's not going to survive once my father gets his revenge, and I suppose he'll kill Malfoy's entire family, maybe even make Draco watch. You know my father's not above those things."

"Go on," Leo said when she stopped.

"But I feel like…after all this, I don't think I can ever get back into an office job, even if it is a high-ranking Ministry position. Maybe I'll do whatever it is upper-class pureblood girls do."

"Get married to some pureblood guy and bask at the purity of your combined family trees?"

"Seriously? Don't they have like hobbies or something?" Gemini laughed, her breath forming white wisps in the air. She pulled the tugs on her robe tighter. "But what are you going to do?"

"Me? I don't know for sure…" Leo shrugged. "Maybe stay a Death Eater and follow your father even after we've won. I'm not as obsessed with him as your mother was, but I think he's someone worth working for—and I heard his daughter's pretty hot."

Gemini snorted, nudging him with her elbow. He laughed. "Or if wizarding society's restored and there's not much to do, I guess I'd retreat back to the mansion in Wiltshire—since obviously all the other disowned Blacks won't be living there after the Dark Lord returns—and live out my days mapping the stars and planets Muggles are too close-minded and blind to see."

"In Wiltshire, by yourself?" Gemini asked.

"Well there is one person I wouldn't mind staying with no matter where she went."

"That's good to hear, because I actually have a plan for the future."

Leo smiled. "And what is that?"

"Have you ever thought about restoring the Black Family Tree?"

Leo turned to her sharply. "Maybe once or twice, yeah." He said quietly. "You know what that means, right?"

"I'm pretty sure 'restoring the Black family' is a technical way of saying 'get married and start a family with a guy who just happens to be a distant and disowned Black who will be a technically legitimate Black family member when he marries me and produces legitimate Black heirs,' so I think I know what it means." Gemini said flatly. "Have you ever thought about doing the same thing?"

"Oh, maybe once or twice." Leo said, innocently smiling. "Restoring the Black Family Line, I mean. Of course, the mother of my child has to be married to me. You know, for public appearances' sake. Also a pureblood girl and nothing less."

Gemini scoffed. "Oh, I know what you mean, that would be such a scandal if she wasn't."

"But what about you? What sort of male are you looking for?"

"Preferably a Black. I heard Montagues and Rossiers will make quite respectable marriages, but I prefer the name Black. There's something alluring about the name. But of course, he has to be at most five years older than me."

"Five?" Leo asked warily.

"Oh yes, what would a seventeen year old girl—probably eighteen when I marry—look like married to a much older guy."

"I think it would look decent enough."

"Perhaps, but possibly not." Gemini frowned. "If he were older than five years—say, seven—he'd have to be someone really special for me to marry him."

Leo tried stifling a laugh, but ended up chuckling. Gemini laughed along. "Merlin's beard, I can't continue this. Will you marry me, Gemini Black?"

"Have I been hinting that this whole time?" Gemini asked coyly. "Of course, I will."

Leo smiled at her as he pulled the Black Family ring off his finger, took her hand in his, and slipped the ring onto her finger before kissing her passionately on the lips. "Are you really sure you want to do this? I don't want to marry you if this is just because of what I said about the whole betrothal thing before."

"I'm not doing it because of that. I'd never marry you for the reason that my mother wanted this for me years ago. But I'd marry you because I love you, you love me, and you've risked and given up so much for me that I don't see why I wouldn't want to marry you eventually. You get to be a real part of the Black family, and our kids become legitimate Blacks as well, and I wouldn't mind spending the rest of my life with you." Gemini added with a shrug, "And besides, I've always wanted to live in a mansion. I hope it's nothing like this place, though, because I'm getting _really_ sick of being cooped up in this gothic summer mansion."

"Then I hope you like neoclassical mansions." He whispered in her ear. "Promise me that when all this is over, we'll get married."

"Of course." Gemini whispered, one hand on Leo's face, the other on the ring that was now a sign of her engagement. She faintly remembered her engagement to Arnold. Like her engagement to him, it was done at the spur of the moment. But even though she and Leo were in robes and on a balcony, watching the Muggle village below the hill, this engagement made Arnold's proposal fade in comparison. Gemini never got a ring, Arnold made no promises except to love her, and unlike at that moment, Gemini never asked Arnold to marry her. Arnold, she realized, made her feel safe, like someone she could count on when she needed it, but Leo made her feel passion in heights she never knew before, and though Leo was more dangerous that Arnold could ever be, she knew she wanted to be with him. Arnold was just a memory now. _Arnold's a pureblood. His parents will die, given, but maybe I can convince father to save his life—assuming he doesn't try to kill him. Maybe I'll—_

But her thoughts of Arnold completely dissolved when Leo placed his lips on hers and she felt hungry for his touch. Their lips locked continuously until Gemini had a split second to look at the sky and, at the sight of the sky that seemed lighter than before, remembered what was awaiting them when the sun came up, and she quickly pulled away. "I think we really have to get some rest for tomorrow."

Leo pouted, but agreed. "You're right," he sighed. "Anyway, we have the rest of our lives to sit in balconies and make-out."

She giggled. "We do, don't we?"

Unfortunately for them, they didn't.


	70. Put On Your War Paint

Chapter 30

Their army was ready. All Death Eaters present, in their black robes and metal bird skull masks, were waiting below in the sitting room, sitting in tense silence. Above them, Gemini and Leo looked down on them in the unlit second floor landing.

Leo turned to Gemini. "Are you ready?"

"Yes." She said quietly. "Terrified, but probably as ready as ever. You?"

"Ready."

She raised an eyebrow skeptically. "This could very well be the day we die."

He smiled at her. "Then I'll follow you until the end." He kissed her on the lips. "We'll leave when you're ready."

He went down the stairs to join the group of Death Eaters. Unlike the others, he was garbed in black pants, shirt, and a black jacket, just as Gemini was. The Death Eaters' attire were a homage to her father, but Gemini and Leo were doing the dirty work, and they would move faster in Muggle clothing.

 _Seventeen years, and this is what I was meant to do,_ Gemini thought as she looked at the Death Eaters. Her gaze went to Leo, who stood statuesquely still by the fireplace. Her lips curved into the faintest of smiles, and he discreetly looked up at her and nodded. _This is the life I was born to have. Father was many things, but he was right: I was never meant to have a normal life. I am a Black and a Slytherin, and this is my moment to prove what that means._

She took one last deep breath, fiddling with the Black ring that was on her finger. The hand that was wearing her ring reached for the emerald necklace around her throat. "Alright," she said in a quiet voice that resonated throughout the house as though she had screamed. The inaudible chattering between the Death Eaters immediately halted as they looked up and saw her, regal-looking in a top, pants, boots, and a jacket all black. They all stood up. "You all know what the plan is. Let's go."

~0~

"She's here!" Ron ran into the Great Hall, all eyes on him as he shouted repeatedly, making his way to Harry. Finally, he saw Harry just below the platform where the Hogwarts professors sat during regular classes, and he quickly panted out what he had to say. "Someone's tried to destroy the shield charm...the shield by the forest…damaged, but not completely broken…it's her…I know it's her…"

Word passed quickly around the Great Hall everything Ron said. Christmas was a somber event the night before, as there were several who missed the holiday with their families, refusing to hold a party in Hogwarts due to the risk of their families being in Hogwarts if Gemini Black attacked. But it was the day after Christmas, and everyone whom Harry and the others believed had a fighting chance in a duel—the Aurors, the Order, Dumbledore's Army, and several Ministry members—were there, ready to share the load of keeping Gemini away from her father's body. Before, several had suggested to transport Voldemort's body somewhere safe, but Harry was determined to keep the corpse where it was.

"Let's not forget: Gemini Black is currently the most powerful witch at the moment. Whether we place Voldemort's body in the deepest pits of hell or in the most guarded vault in Gringotts, she'd find a way to get to it." Harry explained. "We've defended Hogwarts once, hopefully we could do it again. If we keep Hogwarts as our headquarters, at least we've got the advantage of knowing the place well."

For the last few days that Gemini didn't appear, the room of Aurors were tense, but now that Gemini was indeed there, the tension was like one person in the room. Harry felt just as nervous as everyone else. The moment he defeated Voldemort, never in the past sixteen years had he ever thought he would be doing the same thing with Voldemort's daughter. But they were all looking to him, and he knew he had to be brave for them.

"Calm down Ron," Harry said patiently. "What's the status of the wall?"

"Someone tried a very powerful Reductor Curse." Ron said. "It's damaged a big portion of the protection shield near the Forbidden Forest—big enough for someone to enter, but no one's tried anything else so far."

"I don't think Gemini meant to invade with that attack." Harry said after pausing for a moment. "She could have gotten in if she wanted to, I reckon. This must be a diversion. What do you think, Hermione?"

"The cup's power is real, but no one knows for certain how powerful it really is—at least, not until Gemini drank from it." Hermione answered. "For all we know, the protection is powerful enough to deflect her."

"Now's not the time to gamble on what-ifs, though." Harry said.

He turned to the rest of the room and spoke with a loud voice. "We have reason to believe that Gemini Black will attempt to invade the castle today. You know the plan. Everyone in this room is authorized to use the Killing Curse if necessary. Stick to your group! I doubt there are plenty of Death Eaters, and I think we outnumber them, but it's Gemini we have to look out for. If she's with Death Eaters, one or two should distract them. Everyone else, if you see Gemini, focus on her. If Hermione's theory is correct, she's powerful, but she's not immortal. All it takes is one misstep in a duel to stop her."

He avoided eye contact with Arnold, sitting nearby Victoire, Teddy, and all the other Weasley children old enough to duel. He knew he had made a promise to Arnold that he would be the one to kill Gemini if it ever came to that, but Gemini was now more of a threat than ever, and everyone in the Ministry agreed that her death was the only way they would be safe. _When he manages to live to fifty years, he'll thank me._ Harry thought grimly. _But now is not the time._

"Let's take our positions in a while." Harry announced. "Good luck to us all."

That was when the castle shook.


	71. Backfired

Chapter 31

The bright red stream of light came from one of the hilltops, hitting the protection shields that domed the castle. To the Aurors guarding the castle from the outside, it was like a sick, ground-shaking, gut-wrenching homage to the war that had cost so many lives in the exact same place. It was a sign that that war they had outlived was not yet over, and that it was starting once more.

Harry and the entire Great Hall ran outside to the front of the castle, where they got a view of where the light was coming from. The source of the light was blocked by a blinding white light, and the protection charms was slowly but surely decaying like glass shattering off a large dome. Little by little, flaming bits of the protection charms floated in pitiful downward spirals, reminding those who survived the Second Wizarding War of that awful night, and a message to those who weren't alive at that time that they were about to experience what it was they learned from history books and from their parents.

The red light stopped, and the white light turned into a cloud of smoke that evaporated, exposing Gemini Black to the wizards and witches in the courtyard. Her hair flew with the wind like an enemy waving their flag to signal their attack, her skin as pale as the snow-covered hill she stood on top of. Her eyes were red, just like her father's, or so Harry thought.

He saw the instant change on her face as the smoke cleared up, and as the rest of the smoke evaporated, he saw that her initially strong look of determination quickly disappear into uncertainty, and he quickly knew why she looked fearful. She had the advantage of high ground, but Harry knew in his years of hunting down rogue Death Eaters and Dark wizards, that that advantage only worked if she had the advantage of numbers on her side, and Gemini didn't.

There were not more than twenty Death Eaters next to her. Harry counted earlier that the Aurors, Dumbledore's Army, and the Order of the Phoenix alone counted sixty, and he didn't even count the Weasley children and the adult sons and daughters of members of the three groups. Her father attacked the castle once, and his side had managed to storm the castle, but it was not without difficulty. More importantly, he had the support of hundreds of Death Eaters, not to mention the werewolves, trolls, giants, Dementors, among other creatures. On her side, Gemini had around twenty Death Eaters. There were less than five deadly Death Eaters from her father's army who escaped arrest, and even if they did manage to join her army, most of them were definitely nothing more than pureblood supremacists who believed Gemini was the key to restoring a wizarding world they thought ought to be. It was obvious: Gemini Black was ridiculously outnumbered that it was almost pathetic, and from the look on her face, she knew it.

Harry looked at Ron, who gave a relieved half smile. He turned to Minister Shacklebolt, who was looking up at the hills with a newfound determination. As if that wasn't enough, a loud cracking sound could be heard in the air. Harry saw Gemini's face, how it looked confused and scared like a teenage girl who bit off more than she could chew. Harry looked upwards and watched as the dome of protection enchantments glowed white as it seemed to repair itself. The edges where bits of the shield burst into flames and fell were regenerating, growing on all sides until the dome was full again, glowing blue as it sealed once more.

Harry quickly caught Hermione's eye, who shrugged at him in confusion. _Guess that cup wasn't so useful after all,_ he thought. Gemini looked down on the courtyard, locking eyes with Harry, who stared back at her with courage in his eyes. There were two things running in his mind: one, Gemini Black was not only outnumbered, but the cup was also not as powerful as he imagined.

And two: Gemini Black was going to die.

Harry watched as Leo pulled Gemini back off the edge of the hill. Gemini looked at him, then back at the castle. She nodded at Leo before taking his hand as they retreated back into the forest.

"Get them!" Harry shouted, motioning at the Aurors. "Group 3, stay here. The rest of us, let's go! Now is our only chance to end this once and for all!"

Everyone yelled and cheered in agreement as they began apparating out of the castle and into the forest. Harry closed his eyes to apparate, but he felt a hand grab him and stopped and turned to see Hermione still there.

"All of us?" Hermione asked.

Harry nodded. "She can't enter the castle, not with the protection still up." He said hastily. "The cup must not have been as powerful as we estimated."

"I don't know, Harry…" Hermione said uneasily. "I have a bad feeling about this…Can't we think for a second?"

"Now's not the time, Hermione!" Harry snapped. "We've got her surrounded, we've got at most a hundred on our side, and if we don't do this now, who knows when she'll strike again. You can stay here with group three if you want, but I really have to get up there."

Hermione exhaled sharply and nodded. She took Harry's outstretched hand and apparated with him. They appeared somewhere in the middle of the forest, where their friends were already running towards one direction.

Ron ran up to them. "She and the Death Eaters are running this way." He panted. "Let's go!"

Harry and Ron turned to run, but Hermione stopped them both. "Wait, can we please think for a second?" She cried, trying to be heard amidst the sounds of ricocheting hexes and war cries. "What if Gemini _wants_ us to run after her?"

" _Wants_?" Ron asked dubiously. "Did you see the look on her face? We all saw what happened down there. Her magic couldn't break the damned protection spell _and_ we've got twice the amount of people on our side—and more than half of us have been in the last war, at least. I don't think Gemini's plan was to retreat."

Hermione hesitated, so Ron groaned and grabbed both Harry and Hermione's hands and apparated. They appeared a few yards away, just in front of the Aurors leading the chase, and a few feet behind the Death Eaters. Harry shot a non-verbal curse at one of the Death Eaters, but the spark missed the masked head by just a few inches.

However, another spark of light flew past Harry and hit the Death Eater squarely on the back. One Death Eater turned around but continued to flee, while two stopped and defended their fallen comrade. Hermione and Ron quickly engaged in a duel with the two, leaving Harry at the head of the pack to catch the rest of the evading Death Eaters. The others on his side were beginning to catch up, and soon there were more and more sparks heading in their direction, slowly but eventually stunning Death Eaters or challenging them to duel. Harry knew everyone on his side was completely capable of handling themselves so, unless he was being provoked or hexed at, he ignored the Death Eaters completely. Like the original Death Eaters they had faced, they were but glorified minions. It was Gemini he was after.

He, as well as a few others he heard running behind him, ran past, skipped, and countercursed their way past the Death Eaters until it was only Gemini and Leo that were running away. Harry, who had never used an Unforgivable in his entire Auror Career, muttered a brief apology for the happy-go-lucky boy and the ambitious young girl who once worked for the office they now worked against before raising his wand as he ran.

" _AVADA KEDAVRA!"_

He could have sworn they stopped in their tracks as he shrieked the Killing Curse, almost as if they allowed him to send a curse flying their way. The curse hit them both, hitting them as they turned to look at him. Yet it was as if Harry had sent a mere flash of light at them, because they did not look like their souls have left their body and they merely looked on at him. An evil smile formed on Gemini's face.

And instead of dying, she and Leo seemed to be melting. Their skin seemed to melt into each other as they deformed. Slowly, they weren't just melting anymore. They seemed to be sizzling like a dying ember, but Harry heard a sizzling sound and within seconds their deformed bodies caught fire, and they quickly morphed into one giant black, flaming serpent that looked and smelled of Fiendfyre.

The creature opened its mouth and let out a loud hiss. The heat of the beast pushed Harry off of his feet, knocking his wand away from his hand and out of his reach. The serpent inched towards Harry, baring its flaming teeth at him.

" _PARTIS TEMPORUS!"_ Hermione shouted, and the serpent hissed before being split into two, missing Harry by a few inches. That gave Harry enough time to edge for his wand and destroy the Fiendfyre creature, which disintegrated like burnt wood.

"Blimey, Harry. What was that?" Ron asked, helping Harry up.

"And more importantly, where's Gemini?" Hermione added.

"Fiendfyre. And a different kind." Harry groaned. He felt a bruise forming on his right knee. With the sound of flames gone, he could hear the sounds of dueling far away. "That cup must have been really powerful. I don't know if that was Gemini really powerful or just a decoy."

Harry explained what he saw as they crept back to the forest. Several Death Eaters were attempting to disapparate away, but others were trying to catch up to them. "Probably just a decoy," Ron said, carrying Harry's weight on one side, but Harry declined and stood on both feet. "I don't think that was Gemini."

"Why would you think that, Ron?" Hermione asked.

"If she was powerful enough to turn Leo and herself into Fiendfyre, why can't she be powerful enough to destroy our protection shield?" Ron shrugged. "Her father could do it with the Elder Wand, why couldn't she do it with Merlin and Morgana's bloody cup? If you ask me, I think it was just a decoy. A really good one, at that."

"Yes, but then the fact that she can do something like that decoy with a Fiendfyre spell means that she has some power thanks to the cup." Hermione said thoughtfully. "You're right. I guess…"

She stopped abruptly. Harry and Ron stopped and turned to look at her. But she was looking at neither of them, her eyes focused upwards. They followed suit, only to see nothing but the sky, the blue sky looking slightly warped by the translucent white dome that was their protection shield.

"Of course…" She breathed quietly. "Why were we too stupid to fall for that?"

Ron placed a hand on hers. "Hermione, love, what is it?"

Before Hermione could answer, a high-pitched scream echoed, which seemed to be coming from back at the castle. Harry grabbed Ron and Hermione's hands and apparated, but as he focused his mind back on the castle grounds, he felt a searing headache pass through his head, and Ron and Hermione seemed to feel it as well as he saw warped forms of them release his hands and push their hands onto their heads. Gritting his teeth and closing his eyes to the dizzying sight, Harry grabbed both of his friends and apparated just by the school's outskirts. They landed on the ground with a hard thud.

"Harry!" He heard Ginny's voice, followed by several others that came running towards him. Harry felt Ginny's soft hands on his face and he opened his eyes to see tears streaming down her face.

"Ginny…" Harry gasped, the pain in his head slowly receding. "W-what's wrong?"

"I-it's Teddy." She said worriedly. "We were dueling with some Death Eaters when we heard a scream coming from the castle grounds. We got distracted and the Death Eaters escaped, but Teddy was certain it was Victoire's voice so he ran back to the castle. But when he reached the protection shield, something went wrong and I don't know what it is but Teddy's alive but unconscious."

"What's wrong with the shield?" Ron thought, walking towards it. "Isn't it supposed to—"

Hermione and Ginny's screams at him were incoherent at the same time, but nonetheless, Ron knew he had to stop walking. But it was Harry who drew out his wand and, with a wave of his wand, dragged Ron away from the shield.

"What's going on?" Ron asked.

Hermione was so worried that she stuttered and couldn't start a sentence, so Harry gently placed his hands on her shoulders and told her to relax. He looked at Ron.

"The cup worked exactly the way the legend said it would. It's like what you and Hermione pointed out earlier: how can she be powerful enough to bend the Fiendfyre Spell yet didn't break the protection shield? The answer: she did, but she made us believe she didn't. It's obvious now, isn't it?" Harry said gravely. "This isn't our shield—not anymore. It's Gemini's."


	72. Ritual

Chapter 32

"I really thought this was going to be harder." Gemini said after Leo stunned the last person standing, one of the Aurors who had transported her to Azkaban. She stepped over Victoire's unconscious body and stepped next to Leo. "You know, we could actually pull this off within an hour."

Leo held out his hand and Gemini took it. They walked calmly but briskly into the castle through the main entrance like it was an ordinary trip to Hogwarts. "Would it have been faster if we just apparated into your father's room?" Leo quipped as they entered the castle. "What with being the most powerful witch and all, I bet you could apparate in here even with their shield intact."

"I could, and it'd take a fraction of the time." Gemini replied. "But knowing how dangerous I can be and how close I am to resurrecting my father, I doubt they left the room without any sort of alarm for unwanted people who apparate into that room. I wouldn't have two minutes alone to resurrect him properly. Remember: I'm powerful, not immortal, and that's all Potter and the Order and Dumbledore's Army has going for them. I don't doubt you could keep them out of the room while I resurrect Voldemort, but we need to take the precaution. And keeping them out of the castle, including permanently sealing all those secret passages into the school, is a good precaution."

"Of course." Leo said smoothly. They descended to the dungeons, following the route to the common rooms both of them knew so well. "It was a good plan, my love."

Gemini looked at Leo and smiled, and they continued their descent in tense silence. Five minutes later, they found it. The hallway seemed normal and unremarkable, save for the bare wall that seemed old and awkwardly placed on the corner. It seemed old and blended perfectly with the rest of the hallway, but unlike the other hallways that curved at the corner, this one was a diagonal corner. As they entered Slytherin territory, they were greeted by several portraits of notable Slytherin graduates, including a portrait of Salazar Slytherin himself. As Gemini and Leo passed, it was clear that all of them were rooting for her, and as she and Leo stopped in front of the wall, the portrait of a bearded man motioned towards the blank wall.

" _Reducto!_ " Gemini broke the wall. The broken wall showed a short hallway that had only one door. From the dust that sprouted from the crumbling wall, several hands and faces began to form, but quickly dissolved and fell to the floor. Seconds later, a loud wailing sound could be heard coming from up the castle.

"No doubt one of the Order's traps. They once did that to the house in Grimmauld Place." Leo scoffed.

She looked at Leo and smiled smugly. "Unless it's meant to kill me, every booby trap is mere child's play. As for the siren, at least they know I'm pretty much bringing my father back to life as we speak. Let that be the sound they hear last before they all die."

Leo smiled at Gemini and scooped her off her feet, stomping over the wall's remains before setting her down in front of the door.

"This is it, Gemini." Leo said, looking nervously at the door, though he tried to sound brave. "This is your moment. I'll guard the door."

"From whom?" Gemini took his hand. "Come inside with me. This is _our_ moment. When my father comes back, the first people I want him to see are his daughter and the man who risked his life for the same cause. Let him see that you are worthy to be called a Black."

Leo brushed his thumb gently over her lips. "And worthy to be his daughter's."

They pulled each other closer for one last passionate kiss. "When this is over…" Gemini whispered.

"We have plenty of time for that later." Leo promised.

Gemini held his hand as she pushed the door opened.

It was hard not to notice her father's body first. The room was dimly lit, his robes were black, dusty, and obviously unchanged since his death sixteen years ago, and it all contrasted with his pale white skin. As Gemini stepped in, the torches on the wall glowed brighter, showing just how dusty and forgotten the room was. Leo closed the door behind them, and as if everything fell into place, Gemini felt the Resurrection Stone on her wrist feel heavier all of a sudden.

"I think you should stay by the wall." Gemini said, "It could get messy here."

Leo obeyed and stood still. Gemini approached the body. Her father's skin was whiter than hers, and his facial features were more snakelike than human. He did not smell like decay, but the sight of him made her feel uneasy. She knew it wasn't going to be as simple as bringing a chicken egg back to life.

"Do you know what to do?"

"No." Gemini closed her eyes and cleared her mind, trying to find the ritual within her head. "But I do now. It's important you don't interrupt this ceremony, so if you could stand a little closer to the door…there. Thanks."

 _Here we go…_ she pulled the bracelet from her wrist and turned the Stone thrice. Moments later, she could see her father's shade lurking in one of the dark corners of the room.

Gemini tilted her head at him, and he looked on with an indifferent look on his face and nodded. In the midst of a resurrection ritual, Gemini couldn't help but roll her eyes. _I'm bringing you back to life, asshole. I could do with some gratitude._

She began muttering an incantation, its language unknown but at the same time she knew every word coming out of her mouth. The torches surrounding the room burned brighter, and her father's body seemed to glow.

In her mind, Gemini sensed that she had opened something in her father's corpse, and she sensed that some part of him was still living. She could hear three hearts beating in the room, one of them so sickly, like an old engine starting for the first time in years. She closed her eyes and saw more, like a different kind of vision that left no stone unturned. In that moment, she knew she controlled the Resurrection Stone, and she controlled the creator of the Stone, Death himself, and in a Dark language that scared her, she commanded him to open a path for her father and to the living world, a path for him to return her father's body to the world he had become accustomed to.

She opened her eyes and looked at Leo, who was looking frightfully at the corner her father was standing in. She saw that her father's shade was there, only it didn't look like the same kind of soul that used to come out of the Resurrection Stone. It was more opaque than the translucent dark gray shade, and more of a white smoke. She motioned at the body, knowing it was time for him to return. Voldemort understood this, and slowly, began floating towards the body.

 _This is it,_ Gemini thought. _Come back and restore the wizarding world to what it once was, to what it should be. Come back and let me live the life I deserve to live in._ She subtly looked at Leo, whose eyes were focused on her now. She gave a small smile at his direction.

As her father crept closer to his body, the room itself was starting to glow, the light emanated from his body like a beacon in a dark room. Gemini could feel his physical presence in the room, he was pretty much alive that she swore she saw his corpse's fingers twitch.

Finally, Voldemort was standing over his corpse. His fingers inched towards the body.

And then Gemini heard a loud blast. It took her a split second to realize that the sound was not coming from her father or his corpse, and when she turned to look at Leo, she saw him being pushed aside as the door slammed opened and Arnold came running towards her like a bullet.

"GEMINI!" Arnold roared as he pushed her away from the body, breaking the ritual as he tackled her to the ground.

The last thing Gemini saw was the explosion of light that was too much for her father's old body, which exploded into bits of ashes. The light painfully blinded her eyes, Gemini screeched in pain, and then there was nothing but darkness.


	73. The Tragedy of a Hero

Chapter 33

He took the risk to pass the shield when they others were debating how to enter Hogwarts. The wailing nearby alerted everyone that Gemini had broken down the wall that blocked her father's resting place from the rest of the castle, and it was only a matter of time before she would bring her father back to life. Harry had gone off with Ginny and Luna to Dumbledore's final resting place to retrieve the Elder Wand, intending to use it one more time, but Ron, Neville, and Hermione knew Harry would have to disarm the protective enchantments set, and by the time he had the wand, it would probably be too late. Hermione made a desperate attempt to think of the technical aspects of protective shields, wondering if there were any loopholes they use.

"Protective shields are meant to keep enemies out," Hermione said, "so what if we get someone who isn't part of our group, perhaps someone from Hogsmeade, or we can ask the French Aurors for help…"

"And what good would an untrained Hogsmeade villager do against Gemini Black, especially when she's the most powerful witch right now? I'd say an Auror, an Order or DA member has a fighting chance against her." Ron countered. "As for foreign assistance, I don't think there's enough time. Besides, whether they're foreign or not, the moment someone decides to want to cross the shield with intentions to kill Gemini, whoever they are, the shield won't let them pass. Remember: Gemini is a smart girl."

"I know, and that makes her more dangerous than ever." Hermione said grimly. Her eyes widened and she screamed. "ARNOLD, NO!"

At that moment, she forgot she was a witch and tried to run after him, but Arnold was feet away from the shield and, as she ran, she watched him walk inside the shield without any repercussions. Several people outside gasped.

"Arnold, what did you do?" Hermione asked, her mouth agape in worry and confusion.

"Exactly what you said." Arnold replied. "I was never Gemini's enemy. I'd find a way to save her before I'd kill her."

"Unfortunately, Arnold, that's exactly what you have to do." Ron said firmly. "Quick, there isn't much time. Head for the dungeons—you know where it is—and make sure Gemini isn't successful in resurrecting her father. You know what to do."

"Do whatever it takes, son." Neville added. "It's all on you now, Arnie."

"Good luck…" Hannah said nervously.

Arnold nodded in acknowledgement and ran towards the castle. He noticed the others who were passed out (or at least, he hoped Gemini wasn't cruel enough to kill them) on the ground, but he continued to run. If things went well, he would come back for them, but he knew there was no time to waste. He got his wand out, knowing very well that Leo was most likely with her, and he might have to pass through him to get to Gemini.

He knew what he had to do. He had known it even before he tried crossing the shield. He knew that, to make sure Voldemort never returned, Gemini had to die. _But that's not what I cared about,_ he thought, skipping several steps of the stairs heading to the dungeons. _In my mind, I always had to save her, but not necessarily kill her. She could still survive. I don't care about the risks of her living. So as long as she's safe, that's all I really care about._

He finally reached the wall, which was crumbled and torn down. The door across it was glowing a white light, and he knew Gemini was doing something to resurrect her father. Without a second thought, Arnold ran to the door, pointing his wand at the door as he ran.

" _Alohomora!_ " He said, and the door burst opened. Arnold heard a thud as the door hit the back of who appeared to be Leo, knocking him to the side of the room. Arnold saw Gemini near the center of the room. In one hand was her father's wand, and on the other, the Resurrection Stone. She was standing next to her father's glowing corpse, and just above it, a white cloud of smoke warped to look like the face of the body just beneath it. Arnold felt frozen with fear at the sight of Voldemort's ghost, but he knew he had to do something quick.

"GEMINI!" Arnold shouted as he tackled her to the ground. He heard the explosion coming from Voldemort's body behind him, and felt a hot gust of air behind him as the room became extremely bright before he fell face first onto the floor, with Gemini beneath him, screaming before going quiet and limp.

Arnold winced as his nose scratched the rough surface of the floor. He felt blood dripping on his forehead, and there was a faint sound coming from his ears, aside from the sound of the torches lighting normally once more. The room's dust was scattered around the room, mixing with the ash, soot, and the shredded remains of Voldemort's robe in the air. He could feel Gemini's body below him, and amidst the dust that turned the room into a compact sandstorm, he could see that she was unconscious. He opened his mouth to speak, but suddenly he felt someone grab the back of his shirt and he was being yanked upwards and thrown to the center of the room.

Arnold staggered backwards but stayed upright as he caught his balance on the raised platform where Voldemort's body once was before it exploded. Arnold thought it odd that the room was so dusty that the dust floating around the room made it impossible to see one end of the room, and though it made it difficult to breathe, he cast that thought aside as his attention turned to Leo, who was approaching him ominously, his hands balled into fists.

"You don't know when to quit, do you, Longbottom?" Leo growled before taking a swing at Arnold's face, but Arnold managed to duck and avoid the blow. However, Leo anticipated this and held his foot out, tripping Arnold back onto the ground. Leo managed to deliver a powerful kick onto Arnold's gut, and though Arnold winced in pain, he forced himself to stand up. He shoved Leo away, but Leo was taller and had more muscle in his lean physique and stood firm. "Gemini was wrong to leave you alive in Hogsmeade. I can assure you that I won't be making the same mistake."

"You've got nothing now, Leo." Arnold coughed, blood staining his gritted teeth. He was quick enough to avoid a punch from Leo and punch him in his face, but whether or not it was painful, Leo didn't show it. "Without Voldemort, you've got nothing. Gemini can't stay powerful forever…and without Voldemort, you are your Death Eaters have nothing."

"If only that were true," Leo sneered. "Have you forgotten who Gemini Black is? She is the Dark Lord's daughter. If she cannot bring her father back to life to continue his legacy, she will continue it for him. She won't need a lifetime to do that, I assure you."

Arnold tried going after his wand on the floor, but Leo grabbed him by the waistband of his pants and flung him against a wall. "Gemini might want to kill you when she comes to," Leo pressed Arnold's head against the wall. He poked a finger at one of the cuts on Arnold's head, making Arnold wince and flail around pathetically, trying to grab at Leo. Leo chuckled. "But we won't be here much longer. We'll find a way to get rid of every Mudblood and Blood Traitor in the world. When the others who believed in her father's cause sees what we've done, we'll raise an army even bigger than the one her father raised, and we will destroy everything and everyone you love. And I'm afraid you won't live long to—"

They heard Gemini's painful squeak from across the room. It was enough to make Leo release the pressure on Arnold's head, and Arnold fell to the ground. He looked up and glared at Leo and saw that he was not paying any attention to him and was looking at the other side of the room. Arnold looked and saw that the dust was beginning to settle and Gemini was slowly getting on her feet. She stumbled trying to get on her feet, and Arnold's first instinct was to run and help her, hoping that, by destroying Voldemort's body once and for all, there was a miniscule chance that she would go back to normal. But his sudden movement alerted Leo, who shoved him back against the wall.

Arnold tumbled and hit his head hard on the wall, making a large thud sound before he could feel blood start to trickle in his hair. His vision was blurring, and the room seemed to spin before him, but he clenched his fists, digging his nails into his palms in an attempt to stay awake. He looked at Gemini, who was still kneeling on the ground, her dusty black hair made messy by the dust and the explosion, making her look a bit like Bellatrix Lestrange in tight black pants. Finally, she got up calmly and quietly—almost too quietly—before facing the two of them. She raised her head, exposing her pale face away from her hair.

"Now, as I have said previously," Gemini said coldly, her voice eerily formal and hollow, "only _I_ can live forever."

Arnold had known Gemini ever since they were eleven. The person in front of him and Leo looked like Gemini and had Gemini's red eyes, but as her lips curled into a smile that reeked of evil that he had never seen on her before, he knew that wasn't her. He glanced at Leo, who stood frozen with both worry and confusion. Leo glanced back at Arnold, and they knew they were thinking the same thing.

"G-Gemini?" Leo stuttered.

The stranger who looked exactly like Gemini cocked her head towards him. "My daughter proved to be incapable of fulfilling such a simple task." Voldemort said disdainfully. "Given the circumstances, as I had no mortal body to occupy as my own, I did not see why I cannot use a body I helped to create to my advantage. If Gemini were truly fulfilling my mission and my cause, certainly she would not mind giving up her body to use for my sake. Her mother would, wouldn't you think so, Leo?"

Leo looked worried, and Arnold could tell. Arnold stood up, yet Leo seemed too pre-occupied to care. Leo opened his mouth to speak, but it seemed like he knew better than to say anything against Voldemort, who was now possessing the body of the most powerful witch, and kept his mouth shut. Voldemort seemed to notice this, and chuckled, and it hurt both men to hear it with Gemini's voice.

Leo knew what to do. It wasn't how he planned it, but he knew it had to be done. He got on one knee and bowed before the Dark Lord. "My Lord, the Order, Dumbledore's Army, and the Aurors are—"

"I am aware." Voldemort said curtly. He turned to his rightful wand in Gemini's hands and smiled. "Unfortunately, the improper transport of my soul into the mortal world has left this body too weak to fight. I am powerful, but I shall not risk my physical weakness in a duel. Retreat, Leo. Give our enemies the mercy of a few days to settle their affairs before they die. Whether I kill them today or tomorrow shall make no difference. But I assure you none of my enemies will live to see the next year."

Voldemort turned to Arnold and grinned evilly. "You are as big a fool as your father for ever thinking you and my daughter had some sort of future together, and for thinking of the possibility up to this hour. But I shall be merciful and spare you today as well. You can be their herald, to announce my return." Voldemort laughed. "Imagine the irony it will be: the former lover of the Dark Lord's Daughter and the scion of those who fought against the girl's family announcing the return of their greatest enemy. Now stand aside, boy. Leo, come."

Leo made his way to the door without looking at Arnold. Voldemort followed suit, but Arnold stopped him by blocking his way.

"It'd be wise to stay back, Longbottom." Voldemort glowered. "I am not a man of second chances."

"Figures, men don't possess their daughters' bodies." Arnold said roughly. "Do you really think I'm going to let you just walk away from here?"

"Do you think you can do otherwise?" Voldemort retorted amusedly, like Arnold was not a threat to him in any way. "Look at you. You don't even have a wand at hand. Now, _stand aside._ "

Arnold kept his feet planted on the ground. "No."

Gemini's expressionless face suddenly changed. The eyes turned into a darker shade of red that was blacker in color, and Gemini looked to be both panicked and in pain.

"Arnold…" Gemini gasped, gritting her teeth as though she was fighting a battle he could not see. Her body twisted, making her cringe and wince, but she tried keeping still. "Run…go…away…now…"

"Gemini?" Arnold approached her. He grabbed her wrist, but she pulled away and stepped back.

"There's…there's-no-time." She said quickly. "Get out. Now."

Arnold shook his head. "I'm not leaving you like this." He placed his hands on her shoulders to keep her still. "You have to fight your father, Gemini. I know I've been telling you this this whole time, but you are your own person, and you've known that even before you've met your father. I want you to find that person and be that person. Fight him, Gemini. Don't let him control you."

"I can't. I can't hold on for much longer. You've got to run!" Gemini screamed, swatting away his hands off of her. "You can't do anything now. It's too late."

Arnold gasped as he took a step back. He looked at her sadly. "Then I guess I should have just killed you that night in our house."

Gemini looked at him. "What?" She looked at him, genuinely hurt. But then she wriggled once more and her face contorted back to an emotionless face with bright red eyes and finally she stopped moving.

Voldemort exhaled. "Yes, for your survival's sake, I think you should have." He said coldly. "We warned you to step aside. _Avada Kedavra!_ "

Leo, who stood in the door's threshold, motionless with fear of Voldemort and worry for Gemini's safety, saw Gemini's indifferent face as Arnold fell to the ground. Arnold's eyes were lifeless before he even landed on the floor like a puppet. Gemini stood still as she watched Arnold fall, her face indifferent and her lips a flat line, but as Arnold's lifeless body fell limp on the ground, Leo could have sworn he heard her screams echoing through the walls.


	74. The Second Coming

Chapter 34

The atmosphere in the room was totally different. Instead of a full table, there were five empty seats. In the beginning, a few tried to remove the extra seats, but Voldemort, in Gemini's cold, smooth voice, told them to leave it, and kept them on their toes as she arranged their seating places. Voldemort kept Leo to his left, no longer sharing the head of the table, and Abigail to his right. Orion looked more ominous, slithering about along the feet of the Death Eaters. Voldemort had yet to acknowledge Leo's role in leading the Death Eaters, but whether or not Voldemort cared about this, he didn't show it. It was evident there was only one leader now.

"I'll admit that I am quite disappointed with things have turned." Voldemort started. "Not what happened at Hogwarts, but this—" he gestured at them, "—second coming of Death Eaters. It is a total downgrade from the original Death Eaters sixteen years ago."

"My Lord," Leo said, "We have assisted Gemini in her mission to bring you back, and we are ready to serve you."

"Yes, and what is that worth?" Voldemort said in a bored voice. He turned to the rest of the table. "Up until this point, your loyalty is yet to be proven. Do you all say I can turn to all of you to assist me? To follow me?"

There was a murmur of yeses and agreement amongst the Death Eaters. Voldemort's red eyes glinted. "Then why is do I not see it?" He looked at Abigail. "You have been loyal to my daughter, no doubt, yet when the Ministry discovered that it was your hair Gemini was using for Polyjuice Potion for her disguise, Gemini had to make an effort to make it seem like you were abducted."

"Sh-she-she suggested it…" Abigail stuttered, too terrified of looking at the red eyes fixed on her that she kept her eyes focused on the table.

"And you accepted? Let her go the extra effort just to have your name cleared instead of openly declaring your loyalty to Gemini as Leo had done?" Voldemort smirked at the rest of the table. "I doubt any of you are here solely for my own cause. You're all here because you want something out of it.

"But nonetheless, the first Death Eaters did as well. I can't help it if none of you show as much loyalty to me as Gemini's mother did." He cleared his throat. "The difference between the old group of Death Eaters and your lot, however, is that while they had their own motives, they followed me wholeheartedly. They were arrested. They killed Aurors. They have blood on their hands to protect me. They would die to see me rise. They expect me to rescue them as their leader, but they do not demand it. The question now is: is it foolish of me to expect the same from you?"

His eyes wandered from person to person, who all agreed and promised to do the same. He started with Abigail and went all the way to the end of the table before looking at the Death Eaters on the other side, and then at Leo. Was it Leo's imagination, or was Voldemort looking at him longer than he did the rest?

Finally, Voldemort looked away. "Prove it." He said finally. "All of you.

"Tonight, we shall invade and attack the Ministry. If the public has any doubts of my return, they shall truly see what I can do."

"And what shall we do there, my Lord?" Theodore Nott asked.

"Prove to me that you are competent and loyal enough to fight alongside me. Prove that you are not afraid to get blood on your hands, or that you are not afraid to kill for me. I don't care who it is you kill, and I don't care how long we'll be there, but we won't leave the Ministry until I truly know that you are worthy enough to fight alongside me."

They all nodded. "When shall we leave, my Lord?" Pansy Parkinson asked.

"I don't suppose you have a previous engagement, do you, Miss Parkinson?" Voldemort said coldly. "We leave now."

They stood up with him and made their way towards the door, nothing but the sound of their black robes rustling as they walked.

"Oh, and one more thing," Voldemort said carelessly. "No masks."

~0~

They attacked the Ministry. For the older Death Eaters, killing came easier for them, having taken a Dark Arts class in their seventh year at Hogwarts. They were children of Death Eaters, and the Unforgivable Curses were not an alien subjects. For the younger ones in Gemini's age group, they were more hesitant to kill. They had heard stories of Voldemort's time and the Second Wizarding War, but never had they expected they had to live out the life of a Death Eater and actually kill someone. But they could feel the Dark Lord's eyes resting on them and they knew they could not risk wavering in loyalty, and when they dueled, they dueled to kill.

Leo was vicious and ended up killing five Aurors. Voldemort knew why Leo stuck around, and he suspected he knew of his parents' plan to find Gemini and marry her off to Leo instead of helping her revive her father, and he had to show how willing he was to kill for the Dark Lord. From time to time, he would glance at the Dark Lord, wondering if Gemini's soul was still inside her body, and hoped that the Dark Lord would considering finding a body of his own and let Gemini live in her own.

But the biggest duel of the ambush in the Ministry was that of Voldemort and Harry Potter, whose scar seemed to pain him as he kept rubbing it during the duel. Even with the Elder Wand at hand, Harry was matched in power with Voldemort, who possessed the body of the most powerful witch.

"You're a fool, Harry Potter," Voldemort boomed. "Did you think it was going to be that easy?"

Harry wanted to respond, but he was too focused on staying alive in a duel he once thought to never have to do again. He, Ron, and the Aurors had a plan, and he just had to keep Voldemort distracted for the time being. He unleashed several curses, a few Unforgivables, trying to get Voldemort to look only at him. Finally, he noticed Ron and Neville behind Voldemort, and they unleased the Killing Curse from behind.

The curse hit Gemini's body and Voldemort fell to the ground, and Leo shouted as he watched it happen a feet few away from him. Everyone was quiet, and nobody dared move or wave their wands at their opponents as they watched to see if Gemini and Voldemort's last connection to this world was finally dead. A few Death Eaters were escaping, running from another cause that had fallen.

Moments later, the body twitched, and like nothing had been cursed on him moments ago, Voldemort stood up and smiled.

"As I have said: _easy?_ Your determination is admirable, though misplaced. You and everyone you love will die, Harry Potter." He said malevolently, ignoring the other Killing Curses being shot at him. He turned to the Death Eaters. "You have proven your loyalty today. Those who haven't and ran….well…."

He let the unspoken message hang in the air. With a wave of his wand, those who weren't Death Eaters were blown away to the sides of the Atrium. "Back to the headquarters." Voldemort said. "We shall prepare for my next plan."

~0~

In total, there were seventeen dead: one Death Eater, who turned out to be Harper, one of the older Wizengamots, and sixteen others who fought bravely. In a macabre train of thought, Harry thought it was his comeuppance from Voldemort for the extra seventeen years he was allowed to live, or perhaps it was for the seventeen years dedicated to his daughter, whose body Voldemort had possessed. In either way, the deaths were a painful blow to everyone. Harry had watched a Muggle movie about Muggles who didn't die during their time and were sought out by death in the order they should have died. Was this death's way of claiming the lives he should have took in the Battle of Hogwarts seventeen years ago? _Unlikely,_ Harry thought grimly, still in a daze, finding it hard to cry over seventeen bodies as he watched Ginny sob over her father's body, _unless the director was a wizard._

Nearby, several Aurors bowed their heads over the bodies of their fallen colleagues. Fleur and her daughters were wailing over Bill's mangled body, Fleur's Veela side starting to show as her sing-song voice sounded so screechy like a siren hell-bent on revenge. There were three members of the Order of the Phoenix who died by the hands of Leo Black, members who had protected Harry so many years ago, and many others were crying over him.

Harry was too worn out to cry, though he knew he would be collapsing in tears if he could. Hermione and Ron were still sniffling when they approached him. Hermione wiped away the tears. "I know this may sound cold, but we need to be strong right now." Hermione said. "Many others will not die if…"

"You're right, Hermione." Ron hugged her, and Hermione failed in stifling a sob. "What's important now is that Voldemort has to be stopped…at all costs…make sure none of this happens to other wizards…"

Ron was trying to be brave despite the fact that three members of his family had perished, and Harry admired that. He wanted to be a brother to Ron and let him mourn, but he knew they were right: they had to start planning.

"Alright then…" Harry said slowly. "We'll take things one at a time."

"If only we had that luxury of time." Hermione sighed, brushing her tears away before taking deep breaths. "We have to see what we're dealing with, Harry."

"Well, you've done the research on the Bloodlink, so there's no one better than you to guess what happened." Harry said. "Did you get forensics on the room?"

Hermione nodded. "We went through the evidence just before Voldemort showed up here." She took a deep breath as her nerves were making her hiccup profusely. "There was an explosion in the room, no doubt, but I don't think it was meant to destroy any evidence in the room because we could repair the torches and the enchantments were still intact."

"What did you see in the torches?" Ron asked.

"Apparently Gemini was performing some resurrection ritual on her father's body…" Hermione recalled, her voice croaky and sad. "She used the Resurrection Stone to…well…" She inhaled. "It was a smoke of Voldemort's face. She said a few words—at least, I think they were words—and a cloud of smoke appeared over Voldemort's body and I saw it form his face. We know Voldemort's soul was too damaged by the horcruxes, and no part of him except his blood in Gemini's veins, and he's too damaged to pass over, so whatever it was, that wasn't his soul, I think.

"Arnold got to them just in time, and he pushed Gemini out of the way before she could finish the ritual." Hermione continued. "Unfortunately, he disrupted the ritual at the worst time, because it set off an explosion and after the dust settled, it appeared Voldemort was possessing Gemini and well…Arnold wouldn't give up without a fight."

Harry looked down on his hands, feeling incredibly guilty. In his hands, the Elder Wand looked just like any regular wand. _If only I were earlier with the wand, I could have stopped Gemini myself…_

"Gemini tried to warn him, you know." Hermione said quietly, noticing Harry's posture. Although they assured him it wasn't his fault, she could tell that Harry believed he was partly the reason why Arnold was dead. Neville and Hannah were still at Hogwarts, having left Arnold's body in the Great Hall with all the other injured. Surprisingly enough, nobody had died during Gemini's clever little distraction; Arnold was the only casualty of that incident. "Some part of her seemed to fight with Voldemort, just enough for her to warn him. He refused, and I think when he told Gemini he should have killed her long ago, I think that was enough to catch her off guard and for Voldemort to take control again."

"So what do you think that was?" Ron asked.

"Well—and this is all guesswork—from what Harry said about what he saw after Voldemort killed him, Voldemort's soul is too damaged to be considered a soul. Whether it's a remnant of all those Horcruxes and Dark magic or whatever, we know for sure that whatever's possessing Gemini isn't Voldemort's soul, but something similar." Hermione mused. "We have to take into consideration that Gemini's currently a very powerful witch, perhaps those powers include bending death itself."

"Whatever this thing is, it's possessed Gemini—that we can all agree on." Harry said, pressing his glasses to his eyes to focus. "I think the question now on everyone's minds is: why did Voldemort and Gemini survive the killing curse?"

Ron nodded. "I thought it was because Voldemort's controlling Gemini's body, so he could bend curses as well. But when I think about it, you can kill the powerful if they're not prepared, and Voldemort was definitely did not see that curse coming. I think it's got to do more on his and Gemini's bloodlink—"

"Of course!" Hermione interjected, and the two looked at her. She looked gravely at both of them. "Actually…it's quite simple, isn't it? You can't kill what's already dead."

Ron opened his mouth to interject, but Hermione cleared her throat. "I mean, that's not Voldemort's soul, but whatever it is, it's dead. Remember when I said months ago that Voldemort still exists in this world because Gemini is still alive? That still stands, and Voldemort knows that. So somewhere in that body, though Voldemort controls it, is Gemini's soul, and Voldemort's kept it hidden somewhere. And the fact that Gemini tried to warn Arnold proves it. That means—"

Ron raised his hands. "Woah, wait. I think you'll have to explain it simpler, Hermione. I don't think I'm following."

"I get it." Harry said quietly, looking paler than ever. "It means as long as Gemini's alive, Voldemort is alive."

"I know that," Ron said.

"And we can't kill Voldemort because what's possessing her isn't his soul. Killing Curses are aimed at the soul, remember? If we want to kill him, we have to kill Gemini." Harry gulped. "And it just so happens…if Voldemort is hiding her soul…Gemini cannot die, and neither will Voldemort."


	75. No Other Cause

Chapter 35

"I assure you, my lord, the plan was never meant in ill-will or to depose yours." Bellatrix's shade said tearfully. "It was only a plan, a mere whim between myself and my cousin, as it was when I was alive. Gemini was much as your daughter as she was mine, the proposal for a betrothal would have been presented to you before any actions were taken. I was going to tell you after you have killed Potter and restored the blood purity amongst wizards and witches. I did not want to distract you from your own plans with a plan like this. Please, my lord…"

"Be that as it may, you _planned_ all this behind my back." Voldemort said. They were alone in Gemini's room in the summerhouse, which was now dark and cold, save for the fireplace that burned a bright green fire. In Voldemort's hand was the Resurrection Stone. He did not wear the strap that hung around the Stone, but held it loosely with two fingers, making Bellatrix whimper every time he threatened to drop it and end their connection by sending her back to the other world. He did not have to use his cold, sharp voice—it sounded weird with Gemini's feminine voice, and sounded more like a spoiled young woman than his real voice that brought fear into people's hearts—yet he could make Bellatrix despair just by sounding disappointed. _If only my original Death Eaters were alive. Do you see this, Gemini? This is what a real loyal servant is._ "It meant you used time you could have used in furthering my cause for your own. Did you really think I would approve of a union between my daughter, a Black _and_ a Slytherin, with the lineage of some blood traitors?"

"Leo Black and his father were descendants of a blood traitor, but they had Black blood in their veins and they believed in blood purity and were as loyal to your cause as I was." Bellatrix said meekly. "After our deaths, they searched for our daughter, hoping to further your cause. Had I not placed my faith in my traitorous sister and put my faith in Cousin Ares and his wife, things would have been different."

Voldemort smiled as if she told him a humorous joke. "Or so you think."

"I do, my Lord." Bellatrix said. "Leo Black would have been a suitable match for Gemini. His name and bloodline would have restored the Black family as the reigning family—not those blood traitor Weasleys—and his pureblood views matched ours. If you were successful against Potter, they would have ruled the pureblood's high society. He's not without wealth, and Gemini would have been well taken care of."

"Gemini is a Slytherin and heiress to the Black fortune, of course she would be well taken care of no matter what." Voldemort snapped. Bellatrix winced, and he took a deep breath and sighed. "Ahhh, my daughter, Gemini Morgana Black. Who knew the daughter I had never planned would be the one to cause my return…albeit in the most odd way."

Bellatrix looked uneasily as Voldemort swung his legs over the armchair and lounged in front of the fireplace. She could sense Gemini's soul trapped inside her possessed body, and she was torn between her love for her master, Voldemort, whom she had loved obsessively until her last breath, and her daughter, Gemini, who was the key to restoring the Black family's former glory in wizarding society. In one of her daydreams when she was alive, she thought of a world where Voldemort was successful and Gemini grew up in a world where purebloods ruled. She imagined their family being akin to royalty, Gemini the crown princess who would no doubt continued her father's legacy—or rather, stand alongside her mother as their father ruled the world for eternity, given his immortality. She imagined Gemini marrying Leo as a young woman, no doubt she was prettier than Bellatrix ever imagined, having some of her father's family's aristocratic features when he was a boy. She did not expect Voldemort to be the typical father figure for their daughter, but she wanted Gemini to learn blood purity views from him. But having Voldemort possessing Gemini's body as Gemini's soul was desperately looking for an escape, with Bellatrix but a shade of her former self floating beside Voldemort in a cold, green-lit room, was never what Bellatrix imagined.

"She has fulfilled her mission." Bellatrix said quietly.

Voldemort nodded. "She has," he agreed, "and to think I did not think much of her as a baby. Well, apart from the fact that she was one of the remaining truly pureblood, possibly the best breeding among all the wizards and witches her age. A Slytherin and a Black, two of the best pureblood families of their time. And related to nearly every pureblood family."

He turned to Bellatrix. "Do not worry, for as always, I have a plan for Gemini. One that will be fitting for a perfect pureblood society."

Bellatrix seemed to relax. "Oh, thank you, my lord. Thank you."

There was a knock on the door, and Voldemort smiled. He placed the Stone in his balled fist. "And that begins now. Enter!"

Leo opened the door slowly. Voldemort and Bellatrix could tell that, when his eyes rested on Voldemort, he was reminded of Gemini, and it was all he could do not to forget that she was not in control of her body, and he shouldn't act like he was speaking to her. "My lord," Leo said formally as Voldemort raised a lazy hand and waved him in. "You requested that I see you."

"I did." Voldemort said, lowering his feet back to the ground and sitting imperiously. "I take it that you inherited control of the Death Eaters after your parents' death?"

"Yes, my lord." Leo lowered his head. "They— _we—_ are yours to command."

"And it was you who looked for Gemini? Destroyed the map in the Ministry for her sake?"

"Ye—"

"Did you happen to visit Grimmauld Place, Leo?"

"I—yes, my lord."

"And you still weren't in the Black family tapestry." Voldemort said in a way that made it clear it wasn't a question."

Leo bit his lip. "Yes, my lord."

I faint smile played on Voldemort's lips. "I see." He looked at Leo menacingly. "And if I'm not mistaken, you and Gemini were planning to marry after, as she said, after I took the reins?"

In the dark, Bellatrix and Voldemort could see Leo blush. "After you were through with restoring blood purity in the wizarding world, we planned to."

Voldemort tilted his head. He wondered if his smile reminded him of Gemini, and how much it hurt Leo to see her body like this. "Oh, I see. That will be all, then." He said dismissively. "Goodnight, Leo."

Leo made to step back and turn around, but, as Voldemort predicted, Leo hesitantly stood his ground. "My lord…?"

"You're still here, Leo?" Voldemort asked.

"My lord, I only meant to ask…what will be your next plan?"

"My next plan?" Voldemort asked coyly. "You know my plan very well to restore—"

"Forgive me, my lord, but I meant…" Leo hesitated.

Voldemort stood up. "Go on." It was an order, not an encouragement.

Leo gulped. "I meant to ask what you were planning to do with Gemini."

"What I was going to do with my daughter?" Voldemort clarified, and Leo nodded. "What ever do you mean?"

"I mean…" Leo said uneasily. "Do you have any plan to possess a body of your own? Would you find a body to possess so Gemini can have hers back? That way, she can continue fighting for your purpose beside you and—"

"But Gemini is already helping me." Voldemort pointed out. "Her use does not end with merely resurrecting me. Her power is second to none while the effects of Merlin and Morgana's cup are still within her, and it is useful to my cause that I get to use it.

"As for the body I possess…the owner of whose body I get to use seems very irrelevant, doesn't it? I will always be under attack. My old body is ancient and crumbling and timeworn. Perhaps a younger, more agile body will prove to be advantageous to me during duels." Voldemort shrugged. " _Perhaps._ Either way, I am already occupying Gemini's body. I do not see the need to hassle myself by finding another."

Leo failed in keeping a poker face. "Very well, my lord."

Voldemort laughed at Leo's face. "Oh spare me your false indifference, Black." He cackled. "I know you desire my daughter."

"I love her, my lord." Leo said quietly, but his tongue did not rest in his mouth before Voldemort gave a resounding slap on his face, knocking him to the ground. Despite Gemini's body being smaller than his, there was a lot of force that made the blow hurt him.

"Spare me your lies, Leo." Voldemort said with cold fury. "You say you've fallen in love with my daughter in the span of, what, a month? You, who just so happens to be her betrothed in a plan that would have benefited your blood traitorous family?

"You don't love her. You love what she can do as your wife. She's a younger little thing, isn't she? And rich and powerful, with a bloodline most pureblood wizards would love in a wife. And her youth will make it enjoyable for you at night, at least until she gives you the son you want and you will tire of her. Love? Please." Voldemort stood over him. "All you needed for your perfect plan to work was for her to believe you were better than that plan of yours. You said everything she wanted to hear, you dangled the choice of a perfect life in front of her, and slowly, she believed it. And now you don't want your planning to go to waste and you want me to leave this body for you to conveniently continue your plan."

His face was throbbing, and Leo could swear his face felt like he was swelling. He looked above him and saw Gemini standing over him, but the voice, though it was Gemini's too, seemed alienated. At that moment, he knew his life was in danger, and he remembered how Voldemort could not comprehend love, and no matter how much he told him how much he loved his daughter, he would not believe it. "My lord…" Leo muttered.

"Get up." Voldemort said harshly. Leo wobbled and fell over twice, but he forced himself to stand up. "You are not in love, and you know it. You are manipulative and your desire for Gemini stems from your plan to restore the Black family. The Black family is a noble family, and your manipulation is natural for a graduate of Slytherin House, I can respect that, but you forget yourself: that is my daughter you are manipulating.

"Also…while restoring a noble pureblood family is a good cause, I'm afraid my Death Eaters must only prioritize one cause: _my_ cause." Voldemort said, drawing out his wand. He smiled, silently daring Leo to draw his out, but he could see he was frozen in fear.

"My lord," Bellatrix stepped beside Voldemort, placing a hand on his outstretched hand, but it passed over. "My lord, what are you going to do?"

"My lord, I am ready to follow in your cause." Leo promised, though at that moment, he knew what Arnold felt as Gemini's body turned on him. "Please…"

"I'd never let my daughter marry a _disowned_ Black, anyway. Whatever you may say, whatever you may think you are, your ancestors are your ancestors, and I do not trust the descendant of one blood traitor, no matter what he does or what he did.

"Plus, you can thank Gemini for this: once upon a time, Gemini defied my orders to save your life. She gave up the answer to resurrecting me quickly in order to save your life from the Aurors and Azkaban. I told her there would be consequences for her actions." He flicked his wrist and smiled. "You have contributed a lot to the cause, though it was not your priority. When history is written a hundred years from now, you may be remembered as my daughter's aid in fulfilling her mission. But alas, you will not live long enough to see it."

Leo was so focused on Voldemort's wand that he was caught off guard when Voldemort stabbed a dagger into his chest. Gemini's lips were close to his ear as he realized this and began to choke. "You are dying by non-magical means, such a shame for a Black. Let that sink in like a second dagger."

The dagger pierced Leo's heart, and seconds later, as he fell to his knees on the floor, the thick blood sputtering in his mouth was choking him. He looked up and saw Gemini's cold, emotionless face staring down at him. "G-Gemi—" He choked, but the dagger was big and sharp and the blood was pouring out from all holes in his face and he fell to the floor, dead.

Voldemort looked down on Leo's body, uncaring. Where his plan was going, Leo's existence in it was irrelevant. It was only when Leo stopped convulsing did he hear Bellatrix's sobs behind him.

"I told you, no Death Eater's plans will exceed my own." Voldemort shrugged, sitting back down on the armchair. "Consider your sins atoned by him."

Bellatrix had felt nothing but obsessive love for Voldemort ever since she became a Death Eater. But as she looked around the room, her head, even though she was dead and had not felt any strong emotion ever since Molly Weasley had killed her, was beginning to spin. The last key to restoring the Black family was dead. Her daughter was possessed by her father, and Voldemort had no plan to let her live in the perfect pureblood world Bellatrix fought for her to see. She had felt a new strong feeling for Voldemort, and it definitely wasn't love.

"YOU BASTARD!" Bellatrix shrieked. "YOU BASTARD! YOU KILLED THE LAST BLACK MEMBER WORTHY OF RESTORING THE FAMILY! YOU DON'T CARE ABOUT OUR DAUGHTER! SHE'S JUST SOME BODY DONOR TO YOU, ISN'T SHE? YOU'RE…YOU'RE…"

Bellatrix paused. Voldemort motioned her to continue as though they were having a polite conversation. "You don't give a damn about her at all, did you? You don't care about anyone but yourself. This isn't about restoring blood purity. This is just you trying to rule over everyone else." She asked quietly, and Voldemort smiled menacingly. Bellatrix's heart broke, though she wondered if it were there in the first place. "You fucking half-blood."

She yelled as she ran towards him, forgetting that she could not touch him, but as she swung a hand at his face, Voldemort dropped the Stone to the ground, crushing it with the bottom of his boot. Bellatrix's shade dissolved into a cloud of smoke into the air, making the room quiet again except for the cracking of the fire. Voldemort sighed and thought, _finding loyal servants is so difficult._ He straightened in his seat, nonchalantly brushing off the dust particles that landed on him. He looked indifferently at Leo's body on the floor, before he looked back at the fire and smiled.

"Now that that's over, my reign can now truly begin."


	76. The Whistleblower

_**Hi everyone! We are down to the last ten chapters of this book. If you're reading this, thank you so much for waiting for all the chapter updates, for all the feedback, and overall for reading. 3**_

Chapter 36

She stared blankly at them, trying to appear calm though it was clear she was scared. Whether it was them she was afraid of, however, Harry wasn't certainly sure. She was a Slytherin, so no doubt she knew how to play to people's weaknesses, and when she came to them in the morning in the atrium of the Ministry of Magic, garbed in her Death Eater outfit with her wand cast aside and her hands up in surrender, no Auror could be truly certain that this was some trick. She fooled them once, now they were less certain she was acting as a pawn for some grand scheme.

After all, Abigail Flint was Gemini's best friend. So why was she betraying her now?

"I'm Gemini's supporter, not her father's." Abigail said fiercely. There were scratches on her face, and when she sat and threw the sleeves back, they could see her hands were twitching. She caught an Auror noticing her twitching and held onto her Death Eater mask to hide it. "I'll say what you want to know, but you have to promise me protection. Take me to Azkaban, if you must. Just make sure he doesn't get to me."

Harry frowned. He knew Voldemort hadn't killed Abigail because she killed someone during the ambush in the atrium. He thought of all his dead loved ones and wondered whose life had to end just for hers to survive. _Where does she think I'm taking her but Azkaban?_ It was all he could do to sound calm. "Very well, but for extra measure, we're going to give you Veritaserum Alpha." Abigail nodded curtly and took the vial from Hermione and drank it. Harry waited a few seconds for the effects to kick in. "Why are you here, Abigail?"

Abigail took a deep breath and shuddered, and then she spoke. "Everything's gone to hell." She said, her voice shaky. "Leo's dead. The Dark Lord killed him the night we attacked you guys. I don't know why he killed Leo, but he brought his body downstairs and forced us to watch Orion—that's Gemini's snake—eat his whole body. Cassio and I were revolted, and when he looked away, the Dark Lord killed him on the spot and made Orion eat his body too."

"Weren't Leo and his parents responsible for forming the Death Eaters, though?" Minister Shacklebolt asked.

"Leo led us for the last three years, after his parents died. But before that, his parents allied with my father before I started studying in Hogwarts." Abigail nodded.

"Do you know any reason why Voldemort would want to kill Leo?"

"I told you, I don't know." Abigail said, her nails digging into her mask. "Possibly a power struggle. Maybe he didn't want the rest of us Death Eaters looking to Leo as second-in-command without his permission."

"So forming Voldemort's followers has its setbacks." Ron said bitterly.

"But what I don't get," Hermione said skeptically, "is why you went here. You killed at least one person for you to prove your loyalty to Voldemort. Why would Leo's death make you go against Voldemort?"

"Honestly, because he's my friend." Abigail shrugged. "And when I followed my father's wishes to keep an eye on Gemini seven years ago, I didn't sign up for what I saw in the past two days."

"And what did you see?" Hermione asked.

Abigail seemed shaken, but the effects off the strong Veritaserum were working its way and forcing her to speak. "We've been using my family's summerhouse in Essex as a headquarters this whole time. Ever since Voldemort possessed Gemini, it's like sunlight doesn't go past the gate anymore. It's always so dark. We can't go back to our private lives because the Dark Lord made sure you know who we are, and because he's making us wait, we've got no reason to leave the house. He expects unconditional service from all of us, and he's killed anyone whom he doubts has wavering loyalty. So far, he's training us with using Dark Curses, and he's been kidnapping Muggles and having us practice with them. I can't tell you how many bodies Orion has eaten because there's too many to count. Cassio is dead. My father is dead. Catherine Pucey and Zoey Rossier, two of my best friends, are dead, and Nate Montague is on the run with his father, though I doubt they'll get far.

"And the worst part? I can't get over the fact that when I look at the Dark Lord, it's still Gemini's body. And I swear to Merlin you can tell how much it's hurting her."

"Hurting her?" Harry prodded.

"We can hear screams coming from Gemini's body from time to time, though her mouth isn't moving. I think she's trying to take control of her body but the Dark Lord is overpowering her." Abigail bit her lip. "Especially when…especially…er, you see, the Dark Lord thinks Gemini isn't intimidating enough, and one look at her, she's not enough to strike fear into her enemies' hearts, as he said. She's pretty and looks like her mother, but the Dark Lord said she doesn't have her mother's ferocity to scare people just by her presence. Because of that…the Dark Lord has marred her face. He cut her face with a knife so badly that there are scars all over her face. And I think Gemini can feel the pain because we can hear her screams while the Dark Lord scars her face though his lips do not move."

Abigail began to tear up and covered her face with her hands. Harry, Hermione, and Ron looked at each other.

"I didn't sign up for this." She sobbed. "After we graduated, my job officially ended after Gemini moved out of my flat, and father didn't force me to join the Death Eaters after that. But I stayed, and I joined. Gemini was my best friend. She didn't know she was a pureblood, yet she had the makings of someone who knew the importance of blood purity. She was a good leader, someone who could put people in their place yet knew how to control them and what to do. I knew her views of the wizarding world and the Muggle world, and I joined the Death Eaters because I knew that if she ruled by the Dark Lord's side, she would have ruled in her own right—the queen she was meant to be. I didn't sign up to watch her get tortured and have her lose the life she was meant to have. After we resurrected her father, everything was supposed to be alright. Everything should have gone according to plan. Everything should have—"

The Death Eater mask, which resembled more of Gemini's bird skull necklace than the old Death Eater mask, was dangling on her fingers when it suddenly slipped. Abigail made to catch it, but she stopped when she saw that it was floating on its own. Everyone watched as the mask flew up until it was almost in line with Abigail's face a few feet away, the front of the mask facing her. Harry sensed something was wrong and tried to grab the mask, but as his fingers neared it, the mask sharply turned, and the jagged steel tip of what appeared to be the beak sliced a cut into his fingers. The rest of the Aurors sprang into action and tried to detain the mask, but it had a mind of its own as it was slicing away at anyone who tried to touch it and easily slipping out of the hands of anyone who could grab it.

"Traitor…" A hollow voice echoed across the room before the mask zoomed past the Aurors' clutches and impaled itself on Abigail's neck. Abigail could barely even groan or cough up blood before she fell to the floor, dead.


	77. Final Meeting

Chapter 37

Voldemort told the table that was more than half vacant, "I am going to steal the last time-turner."

There were five of them left: Cassandra Zabini, her father, Blaise, Tamina Warrington, Pansy Parkinson, and Theodore Nott. It was not safe to say they looked as calm as they did when Gemini and Leo controlled them. Growing up, all of them heard stories about the Death Eaters and how they had fought to restore order in a filthy wizarding world. Never had they thought that the job description would be harder than their parents had said.

Nobody spoke. Nobody raised their heads and dared look at Voldemort's bright red eyes in fear that they would be staring back at them. Gemini could make a room silent when she wanted to, but while her father was possessing her body, it was a whole different thing.

"It would seem that, despite my daughter's _trying_ effort to bring her father back to life, it is all for naught, given the world I have to restore is too far gone." He said disdainfully. "It seems that, in the past sixteen years, none of you have even attempted to defy or even stand up against the Ministry as it desecrates the purity of our world, and they would have nearly destroyed our way of living had it not been for the serendipity that Gemini would find the truth, as well as my effort to connect to her and… _convince_ her to follow in our ways.

"But still, even if I kill every single Auror, Order member, and every pureblood blood traitor in our world, there wouldn't be enough to ensure the sustainability of our kind with the number of wizards we'd have left. If I had killed Harry Potter and changed our world sixteen years ago, we'd still have plenty of pureblood lines loyal to our cause. But no, I'm afraid many of these purebloods have seen fit to lower their standards and marry half-bloods just to prove the Ministry of their change in loyalty. Disgusting." Voldemort spat. He looked at the heads of the five remaining Death Eaters and sighed. "Therefore, I have decided the best course of action to see a better future is to go to the past and change the last sixteen years by myself. I shall go back in time, see to it that I kill Draco Malfoy, become the true master of the Elder Wand, and then I shall kill Harry Potter once and for all."

Pansy Parkinson raised her head an inch. "My Lord…" Pansy said weakly. "Will you be taking us to the past with you?"

Voldemort rolled his eyes at her whimpering voice. _Weaklings, every one of them,_ he thought. _A force like myself is intimidating, yes, but the Death Eaters before them knew how to behave like true Death Eaters, not mewling children who thought this would be as easy as my daughter made them believe._ "No." He said calmly. "I will be using my magic to be able to live in that time from that moment on. Most of you, I can't be bothered to do the same. And either way, if you are as faithful to me as you say you are, you would have joined my Death Eaters in that dimension. Wouldn't you, Parkinson? I shall be killing Draco in that dimension so I daresay joining me will not be an awkward situation for you."

Pansy bowed her head down meekly. Theodore Nott piped up. "My Lord, how will we take the Time-Turner for you?"

"I believe ambushing the Ministry like we did before would be an impractical one," Voldemort said thoughtfully, though his voice implied that he had already planned everything through, "At this point, Potter would be a fool not to recognize the danger I am to him, and if he sees that we are going to the Department of Mysteries to take the Time-Turner, I am certain he would rather break the last one than to see it fall into my hands. No, we cannot risk that like this. If we are to face the Ministry head-on, I need better Death Eaters who can assure me they can survive any attack placed on them, and the five of you will not do.

"Fortunately, I have an idea. And unfortunately, none of you may enjoy this part." Voldemort said with a smile. "You see, I have always doubted the genuineness of your loyalty. You have killed for me, yes—that you have proven. But what is to say that you have killed more for your survival than for your loyalty? Abigail proved just how much her loyalty is worth, as did the rest of the Death Eaters who killed yet…disappointed me. What's to say that any of the five of you will turn your backs on me in the Ministry during the slight moment it appears that I have lost?

"I'm afraid I have not been honest with all of you." Voldemort said. At that moment, Orion slid onto the table, his size tripled in the past few days over the number of bodies he had to consume, and he was even bigger than Voldemort's first snake, Nagini. "There is another reason why I cannot attempt to restore our world: I cannot possibly do it with Death Eaters as feeble as all of you, at least, not in the state all of you are in. If I am to have an army of my own, I'd rather have the ones sixteen years ago still alive today. And because of that…Orion…"

Orion bit into Theodore Nott's neck before he even realized what was happening. Next to him, Pansy Parkinson screamed, but she was cut short as Voldemort easily killed her with a Killing Curse. Between Voldemort and Orion, it was easy killing the five remaining Death Eaters. Orion looked at the corpses in different positions on the table and on the floor, and he opened his mouth hungrily.

 _Don't._ Voldemort said in Parseltongue. Orion nodded and slithered down the table. _This is all according to plan. Stand aside._


	78. The Final Battle

_**I'm so sorry for not posting in a long while. Last seven chapters coming up soon!**_

Chapter 38

Voldemort was right: given the current state the Death Eaters were in, they never would have stood a chance against the Ministry of Magic's extra security measures. But when he killed them and turned them into Inferi that knew how to use magic to duel and never get killed, they were proven to be usefully dangerous.

Harry, however, knew they were but a distraction. A dangerous, deadly distraction, nonetheless, but he knew Voldemort had somehow slipped past them and is inside the Ministry, doing something potentially deadlier than what the Inferi were doing at that moment. And because he had a distraction this severe, Harry couldn't guess what it was Voldemort was doing in the Ministry, but he guessed it was a lot worse than this. Back when it was just Gemini they were after, her magic wouldn't mean anything once she slipped up and someone managed to kill her; but with Voldemort, who was not only powerful but also incapable of dying, the only thing Harry and the others could do now was make sure Voldemort couldn't get his hands on whatever it was he was after.

He looked at the Inferi, circling the crude, black behemoth that used to be a statue that Gemini left behind, and his eyes were drawn to the door far away from the wall Voldemort destroyed to ambush the Ministry of Magic once more. The wall's rubble did not reach that part of the Atrium, and the Inferi and everyone fighting against them were mostly positioned in the other end of the room, but the fact that the door was closing as it caught his eye gave him that sensation when his Auror instincts told him something was up.

Harry ran towards the stairs, immediately catching the eyes several Dumbledore's Army members: Ron, Hermione, Luna, Ginny, Neville, and Hannah. They practically slammed the door opened into the staircase. Harry glanced upwards at the staircase leading upwards. Part of him wished he could still see in Voldemort's mind, he'd endure the pain over and over just so he could have the small advantage to know Voldemort's thoughts. But at that moment, Harry figured he didn't need it—or at least, he hoped his hunch was right.

"He's not up there…" Harry said. "This isn't an ambush like before. If he's using Inferi, he's planning to do something worse. If he's going to kill us, he's not going to need anything Ministry-related."

"The Department of Mysteries…" Hermione gasped, and they all began running down the stairs. "What could Voldemort possibly want there?"

"Not a prophecy—that we know for sure." Luna said. "At this point, I don't think any seer could have predicted this."

"No. At this point, there's only one thing left Voldemort could want in the Department of Mysteries, and I have an idea what he's going to do." Harry said grimly.

They ran down to the Department of Mysteries only to find the door to the level opened. Harry, leading the group, slowly crept by the door and peeked. The long black hallway was deserted.

"Be on your guard, he's around here somewhere." Harry whispered. "I think he's after the Time Turner. It's the only thing left worth taking in here. If Gemini could bend the Resurrection Stone's magic, I think Voldemort's going to use the Time Turner. I don't know why. But we need to make sure he never gets it."

"Simply breaking it won't do it." Hermione guessed. "If he's really powerful, a strong Repairing Charm would fix it. No, we'd have to disintegrate the Time Turner, and then burn what's left of it."

"We'd be breaking the last Time Turner, wouldn't we?" Ginny asked.

Ron nodded. "Yes, but what choice do we have? Let's go, we can't lose any more time."

They slowly entered the hallway, which was deserted, except for the eerie feeling that lingered. Harry saw the door to the Department of Mysteries was blasted open, exposing the blue circular room all but Hannah went into eighteen years ago. Never had they thought they would be going back in.

Without a second to waste, Harry ran towards the door with the others at his tail. The room could sense an emergency when the time called for it, and when Harry stepped inside the room, it sensed where he wanted to go and immediately opened the door. Whether or not it opened the door, Harry didn't need their help—the Time Room's door also looked damaged, like had it not been for the magic keeping it closed, it would share the same fate as the door to this room.

After all but one of the Time Turners were destroyed, the room was swept and cleaned, though the lights were never replaced. It was a dark room, the dim glowing blue light in the main room their only source of illumination. Everyone stepped inside. From a distance, Harry could see a soft spotlight, and his heart skipped a beat when he looked at the glass case on top of a marble pedestal and saw that golden glimmer of the last Time Turner. They took one step forward, and the door closed shut behind them.

" _Avada Kedavra."_ A female voice in the darkness said. In unnaturally fast speed, two green sparks of light zoomed at them. Harry managed to dodge the light, thanks to fast reflexes that came with years of Auror work, but as he swerved, he heard the sound of Ron and Ginny's screams before witnessing their bodies fall to the floor, dead.

"No!" Harry and Hermione screamed. Before they could even move, the voice spoke once more, and a green light quickly hit Hannah, who fell in Neville's arms, her lifeless eyes staring back at him.

Harry felt his blood run cold at the sight of his wife, best friend, and Neville's wife's corpses dead on the ground that it felt so surreal, and it was only when Luna and Hermione pushed him aside and aimed hexes at the dark when he came to and realized he had to keep going.

Gemini's voice cackled. " _Crucio!"_ She shrieked, her voice seemingly moving in the dark like a shadow, though Harry couldn't see her. He figured the power of the cup was making her hexes quicker, as the curse hit Neville and he fell screaming to the floor, letting go of his wife's body as he writhed in pain.

"Ironic," Voldemort said calmly, his voice echoing as loud as Neville screams. "Her mother drove Longbottom's parents to insanity. I don't suppose I, in my daughter's body, would do the same to him?"

" _Stupefy!"_ Harry casted a spell towards where the voice came from, but he only heard Voldemort laugh.

"A Stunning Spell? You honestly haven't learned anything, Potter."

" _Accio Time Turner!_ " Hermione said, pointing her wand at the glass case. The Time-Turner shattered the glass case and flew towards her, but it only reached a few yards when it seemed to stop, floating above the ground and slowly hovering. Suddenly, the spotlight grew bigger, growing like a dome and lighting more of the floor around the case, until it was over twelve feet in diameter. From the darkness, Gemini stepped into the light, walked calmly to the Time Turner, and took it with one hand.

The sight of her made Hermione gasp. The once beautiful girl had deep cuts on her face, but whether or not she felt pain, she didn't show it. Her eyes were redder than before, and they seemed abnormally wide, the complete opposite of her father's snake-like eyes.

"I just wanted to make sure you were here to witness the end of your world, and your life, Potter." Voldemort sneered. "It was fun, watching your friends die, and it shall be even more enjoyable for myself when I get to kill you all those years ago."

Harry yelled and charged at Voldemort, throwing hexes as he ran towards him. But the hexes merely bounced on an invisible wall between the two, which Harry found out when he knocked into the wall. He used a Reductor Spell on the wall, pounded it until his fists turned red, but no matter what he did, Voldemort continued to smile evilly at him. Finally, with tears in his eyes and the hopelessness creeping on him, Harry fell to his knees, knowing he had failed.

At the sight of this, Voldemort smiled wider. "Now, Harry Potter, you will watch everything you know unravel. After I am done with the Time Turner, your last sixteen years will not exist, for you will be dead and not live to see the sunrise on that night at Hogwarts."

Voldemort took a step back and held the Time Turner with both hands. In that instant, spells dating back to the ancient beginnings of magic flowed into his head. He understood the essence and concepts of time no brain, Muggle or Wizard, could comprehend, and the Time Turner in his hand was an answered puzzle that became the key to bending time to his will. The Time Turner glowed in his hands, and the words and spells flowed out of his mouth, a language he couldn't understand, letting this power lead him as he watched Harry Potter and the others watch hopelessly.

It started out as a twitch on his wrist. He felt so powerful at the moment that the slightest sign of discomfort broke him out of his trance. And then a deep pit burrowing in his gut. He started feeling drained, and Voldemort knew it was the magic. Just like the ritual his daughter performed, this ritual took a lot of his magic and energy, making him feel weary and weak. He gritted his teeth and carried on, knowing that the ritual would be over soon.

But then it started getting more painful. At a moment's thought, he recalled how Gemini resurrected him, how the spell was so powerful that it made the room light up. She appeared to weaken, but if she showed any pain while she controlled the Resurrection Stone, she didn't show it. And yet, Voldemort felt pain that was starting to get more than unbearable, making it harder for him to concentrate.

He didn't understand what was happening until he heard his daughter's voice.

"Get out of my body."

Voldemort thought it was just his imagination, but he looked at Potter and the Mudblood and saw that they were looking at him in confusion. When he spoke, it was his daughter's voice he would hear, though deeper and more foreboding. This voice was lighter, more informal, that even Harry could recognize it. He was weakened, and now his daughter was taking advantage of this by trying to take her body back.

"Gemini?" Harry gasped.

Voldemort's hand twitched, almost dropping the Time Turner to the ground had he not clenched his arm closed with his other hand. "What?" Voldemort roared. "Gemini, stop! You are ruining our plans!"

" _Our_ plans?" She shrieked. Voldemort gritted his teeth and tried to re-possess her body, but Gemini was furious and wouldn't give in. "They became _your_ plans alone when you thought you didn't need me anymore! You lied. You didn't need me. You needed some patsy to do your dirty work!"

"No…" Voldemort gritted.

"You killed Arnold…"

"He was a blood traitor and he was in the way."

"You killed Leo…"

"You could've done better than that."

"You know what?" Gemini said, stiffening her body as she fought control. "I'm done. I should have done this a long time ago. You will _never_ finish your plan. Not while I'm alive."

She turned to Harry. "As long as I'm alive, he'll have a connection to this world, won't he?"

It was Hermione who spoke. "He will," she said grimly.

Gemini closed her eyes. "Thought so." Her wand arm raised like it was struggling to take control. Harry watched wordlessly, his mouth agape as he saw what he could of the struggle between Voldemort and his daughter, the struggle that only appeared to be a girl trying to point with her wand, but was actually the battle more important than the Battle of Hogwarts, for it was one that could save the world or destroy it. He realized what Gemini was going to do when, at last, Gemini managed to point the wand at herself. " _Avada Kedavra."_


	79. One More Chance

Chapter 39

"Goodbye, Gemmy, dear!" The familiar voice said. "Don't forget to write!"

Gemini opened her eyes, remembering the only one person who called her that awful name. Initially, all she could see was white. Things started taking shape, but even though she recognized the orphanage she grew up in, everything was bright white, most of the objects white basic shapes, only the things immediately close to her solid objects. The room was at the top floor of the orphanage, decent enough, but lacking of anything child-like, save for the crude drawings on the walls. Beds were lined on either side, but they seemed to fade into the light as it went farther. She sat out of bed and saw the one window across her bed part of the small pool of solid objects. Hesitantly, she stepped off her bed and walked to the window.

There were two moving figures that seemed to take shape as she looked. On the left, a short, young thing with a head of black, curly hair, walking alongside an older, hunched figure. There was a vague oval shape nearby, waving them goodbye, as the girl entered the car on the curb and sped away.

"That was the beginning of the rest of your life, by the way I saw it."

Gemini turned around and saw she wasn't alone. She had never met the man, but after seven years of Hogwarts' teachings of the Deathly Hallows and the Second Wizarding War, it was hard not to recognize Albus Dumbledore.

"He died," Gemini said after a long pause, not knowing what to say. "Professor Slughorn. I saw his body when my father and the Death Eaters attacked the Ministry."

Dumbledore nodded at her politely, sitting on top of the bed closest to the window. "He told me such. He also knew that you were a better person than the Daily Prophet lets on—foolish for following in your father's footsteps, but a better person. You know, you're not the first magical being pulled out of a world of Muggles, wondering during the early parts of your life about explanations for events that could hardly be explained." Dumbledore said. "If I remember clearly, you're far from the first."

Gemini knew what he meant. "My father was one of them."

"More specifically, your father's beginning was _exactly_ like yours, now that I think about it: both orphaned at a young age, grew up in an orphanage, Slytherins, had an abrupt epiphany about who they were...

"You know, once upon a time, I told a young boy that it wasn't who we were that mattered, but who we choose to be." Dumbledore said kindly. "You could be everything like Voldemort—you can even be his own daughter—but it is that one differing choice that sets you both apart."

"I've killed people."

"Your _father_ used your body to kill people, which you witnessed as if it were your own."

"And none of that would have happened if I didn't resurrect him." Gemini looked down guiltily. "All those people, all those deaths…Wait a minute, why are you here?"

"Me?" Dumbledore asked, surprised. "Why, I could ask you the same question."

"I killed myself, obviously. I knew that my father would continue to live if I was still alive, and only I could kill him by killing myself."

"And that, Gemini Black, fulfills a certain prophecy, doesn't it?" Dumbledore mused. "Don't tell me you're one of those people who think prophecies are just vague guesses perceived to be true in a way. You've completed the prophecy: you knew from the moment you knew your parentage that it was your destiny to bring back the Dark Lord. You died near the year's end. Your father fell sixteen years ago, and he fell once more by his own daughter's hand, and you, the last Heir of Slytherin and Black, have sacrificed yourself, being the only thing that can stop your father."

Gemini recalled the last few words. "The only one with the power to master Death shall reign both victor and loser…" Gemini recited. "But…I never got the Elder Wand, or the Invisibility Cloak. How does that make me...?"

" _The Deathly Hallows gives one the power to master Death_ , is that what the books still say? It's quite misleading, now that I've had a long chat with the good fellow. No, the proper word is _hinder_ Death. They can kill, send back shades of the dead, and can even hide from Death. But can they tell Death to fully bring back people at their command? Can they know the secrets to unlocking Death itself? At one point, _you_ did. You mastered Death and you reigned both victor and loser."

"How anti-climactic, if you don't mind me saying."

"Oh, but I'm not yet finished." Dumbledore said patiently. "For someone who exhibits the best parts of Bellatrix and Tom, you're quite rash.

"There's another reason you're considered the master of Death. You've done the impossible voluntarily by resurrecting your father, but your actions in the Time Room have also been another. You see, I'm sure you know what the Bloodlink is between you and Voldemort, and because that link is between you and the mortal world…well, let's just say Death has a bit of control over it as well. As Ms. Granger knew, Voldemort should have ceased to exist the moment Harry Potter defeated him sixteen years ago. He had no soul for Death to claim, after all. And yet, he remained in limbo simply because you existed, and part of you was his own blood, thus keeping him connected to the mortal world from this world.

"The thing about these links between parent and child is that it is not only based on blood, but on affection, and Voldemort's link to you was entirely out of blood, making it an extremely frail father-daughter bond from the beginning. When you decided to end your life for the sake of other, you took yourself out of the mortal world. Your soul is mislead—you remind me of a boy who grew up believing in the essence of blood purity. I will not lecture you, for that is another matter—but it is far from corrupt, as you yourself have never soiled your hands by killing anyone. But the thing is, you no longer existed in the mortal world, leaving Voldemort's soul without a link, and this, disappearing forever."

"So that's it, then? He's gone? There's no way he can harm anyone else?"

Dumbledore raised his hands in silence. "In general, technical terms, yes: Voldemort is gone. Whatever happens, he is gone, and he will never return." He pushed his tiny glasses toward his face. "Unfortunately, the same cannot be said about you."

Gemini looked at him. "What do you mean?"

Dumbledore shrugged like it was so obvious. "You're still a powerful witch, or at least, your body is. You can die, yes, but who says you cannot return? You're still the only one who has mastered death. And it just so happens that Death forgot to close that door over there."

He pointed at the door at the end of the room, which Gemini remembered was the door leading outside. "You still have a choice: you can move on, close your eyes and move on, or you can choose to go back if you wish." Dumbledore said. "It's all very confusing, I know, but at this point, isn't your choice very clear?"

Without Dumbledore uttering a word, she turned her head towards the door at the end of the room and saw him. Him. He stood there, waiting patiently, smiling now that she noticed he was in the same room as her. Despite the fact that she watched him die, he was

It was at that moment, both of them dead, did Gemini understand what she really wanted in life. She knew who she truly loved. She loved the guy who had been with her through everything, the guy who loved her the way she wanted and the way she deserved. She smiled at him sadly, feeling guilty how he ever got involved with her, and how different their lives would be if she wasn't stupid enough to have resurrected her father and ended their lives too early. _And maybe,_ Gemini thought, _it doesn't have to end that way, does it?_

"So just to be clear, no matter what I do, there's no way my father can come back?" Gemini asked him.

Dumbledore smiled. "None. The fact that you would sacrifice yourself for the greater good means your father is definitely nowhere in this world."

But Gemini wasn't listening after he said the first word. She was looking at the door, at him, smiling back at him. "I'm going back. I'll fix everything."

~0~

 _ **Who do you think was by the door? :3 Thanks for reading! Last 6 chapters after this! 3**_


	80. Backtrack

Chapter 40

Coming back to life was just like waking up. Gemini looked at the room, which was almost pitch black, save for the blue glow by the door, and she could barely see around her though she could feel the broken glass shattered on the floor. Her eyes adjusted to the darkness, and she saw the unconscious figures laying nearby. Gemini winced at the pain, the feeling of her body coming back to her, but she gritted her teeth and reached for the Time Turner, miraculously still in once piece and within her reach, and dragged it back with the tips of her fingers.

She held it with one hand, and as though nothing had just happened, the memories her father needed to bend time went back into her head. _I can still finish it,_ Gemini thought, _I can still finish this my way._

Exhausted and in so much pain, Gemini mumbled the words, trying not to pass out. The ritual was still taxing on her energy, weakening her. She heard movement nearby and, when she looked in that direction, saw one of the bodies trying to stand. There was a small beam of light and Gemini locked eyes with Harry, who looked startled to see that she was still alive.

She closed her eyes and knew the words were done. All she had to do was turn the little device. "I'm sorry," she said quietly, looking directly at Harry. "But I don't think it should end like this."

With a flick of her thumb, she made the Time Turner spin.

Harry seemed to dissolve into blackness, and slowly, everything else did too. Gemini felt the entire room dissolve before her that she couldn't even tell if she was still lying on the ground. She tried feeling for the ground, but it was no longer there. There was a soft humming in her ears, followed by a breeze that seemed to come from everywhere.

Finally, she saw something. Harry and his friends re-appeared, but they quickly walked backwards back into the darkness. The room faded white, and it morphed into the conference room in the Flints' summerhouse, and the remaining Death Eaters were brought back to life and Orion slithered backwards away, the blood disappearing from his mouth.

The room seamlessly dissolved into Gemini's room, and Gemini gasped as Leo was dead at the ground in front of her. She remembered how she could do nothing to stop it and could only watch as her father killed him. Instinctively, she reached out and touched his hand. She knew it was useless at that point, but she hated how she couldn't have done anything at that moment to stop him.

Suddenly, Leo opened his eyes and was back on his feet. Gemini's hand stayed in his, and for a moment, it was as if he was staring right back at her.

Time was moving back faster as the room dissolved just as Leo walked backwards towards the door. Gemini could only get glimpses of times she recognized. For one second, she was back in Hogwarts when she and Leo evaded the Aurors, and she witnessed Arnold walk out the door backwards, the door repairing itself as he stepped out. After a while she felt like she was walking backwards out of the Riddle house, away from Abigail and Cassio and the waiting limousine. She was apparating from forest to forest, and then back in the water near Azkaban.

The flashes were growing brighter and brighter, and soon there was nothing Gemini could see but white light around her. She kept a tight grip on the Time Turner, but the brightness was hurting her eyes and she was getting weaker. Finally, when she couldn't take it anymore, she screamed and succumbed to the pain and passed out.

~0~

She opened her eyes, and it was all darkness once more. Her face was pressed against a hard surface, but the pain she felt was gone. The feeling she also felt after drinking from Merlin and Morgana's cup was also gone. Weirdly enough, she almost felt _normal_ , which was weird, considering she hadn't felt that way in a long time.

"Excuse me, Ms. Ridley?" said a familiar voice.

The voice startled her and Gemini pushed away from the surface, only to feel a rush on her head from moving too fast. It took her a while to realize where she was, nearly forgetting the place because she once thought she would never have to return. She also almost forgot the familiar face standing by her, until she remembered that the girl before her was Jen, her personal assistant, and she was back in her office in Malfoy Apothecary's Potions Division.

"W-what?" Gemini asked, looking around the office. The office had glass walls and she could recognize some wizards and witches passing by her window, none of whom looked at her like she was a dangerous creature. One of the Potioneers she recognized even nodded a polite greeting as he passed by her opened door.

"Sorry to disturb you, Ms. Ridley, but Mr. Werner has just finished his report and I figured you'd want me to wake you up. You know, because of your party later?"

"My party?" Gemini asked, still trying to comprehend what had just happened. Without the power of the cup, it was hard to comprehend Time once more, and part of her even believed that it could have just been a dream.

 _But it wasn't, was it?_ Gemini looked at her wrists. There were no scars or bruises that were once there, no way of telling what was real. She had, after all, spent months researching about the Death Eaters during her internship at the Ministry. _That would explain Leo and Gemini Black, the coincidence of how these names were used in that dream or memory._ What if all that was just a mere dream? The only thing that made her believe it was true was the memory of feeling pain. She couldn't remember the pain, but she knew that if she was dreaming of that pain, then she surely should have woken up, wouldn't she? She slit her wrists, nearly drowned in the Atlantic, ran through the Forbidden Forest, and Voldemort—was he really her father?—cutting her face like a side of a tree, shouldn't she have woken up at that point?

There was also the fact that part of her knew Jen would wake her up…because part of her memory told her it would happen. Gemini couldn't understand it, but she did at the same time. She tried recalling everything from that memory, remembering how it _was_ Hans Werner who was finishing his report, how she was running late when she went to Malfoy Manor, how…

Gemini darted out of her chair and kneeled at the fireplace, her hands shaking as she grabbed the bag of Floo Powder and threw it at the fire.

"Thank you, Jen. That will be all." Gemini said hurriedly, not looking at her assistant. "The Leaky Cauldron."

The fire turned green and Gemini saw the outline of the parlor room in the pub. She could hear a lot of commotion in the other end, especially Hannah's nagging at some harried employee. "Hello?!"

"Gemini?" She heard a voice from the other end. "It's Kate, one of the staff. Arnold's upstairs."

"Because of the movers?" Gemini asked sharply.

"Yes. They came early and they're having your things—"

 _Of course they did._ Gemini thought. _That wasn't a dream._ "Tell Arnold not to forget about Orion! Please do it quickly!"

"Who?"

"My pet. Just tell him. Tell him Orion's very sensitive around large crowds." Gemini said rapidly. "You can't imagine what he'd be like if he slithered into the party later. Believe me."

"Alright, I'll tell him." The girl said. "Is there anything else? I heard they were looking for you."

"Tell him…" Gemini hesitated. "Tell him I'll be there late. Something came up but I'll be there."

"Okay."

Gemini stepped away from the fire, which dwindled into fiery embers. _That's it,_ Gemini thought. _If Orion doesn't try to kill anyone, I won't expose myself._

She turned around. Jen closed the door, leaving a pile of parchment on Gemini's desk. The memory of what happened next popped into her head. _Only…that's not just it, is it?_


	81. Repairing the Past

Chapter 41

"Good afternoon, Ms. Ridley. My father told me you'd be dropping by."

"Hi Scorpius. Is your father home yet?"

"He told me he and mother weren't arriving until evening."

"I see. Here's the file he wanted. Could I just leave it in his office?"

The boy frowned. "I'm afraid I can't, Ms. Ridley. Father says I'm not allowed in his office." He gave her a once-over, carefully weighing his options. A spark in Gemini's head made something click.

"But I can show you to the office. You can just leave it there."

 _That wasn't a dream. That wasn't a dream._ Gemini gulped. _I am Gemini Morgana Black, daughter of Bellatrix Lestrange and Lord Voldemort, cousin of Draco Malfoy…and, to an extent, Leo Black. Leo is undercover in the Ministry. Abigail is part of the Death Eaters. This life I think I have has always been a lie. That wasn't a dream._

"Uhh…so do you want to come in?" Scorpius asked unsurely. If Gemini closed her eyes and recalled, they had the same greeting conversation.

 _And if this isn't a dream, then Bellatrix's letter is inside._ Gemini gulped.

She knew coming here was a bad idea. After all that had happened, it had been a long time since she thought about Draco and how his and his parents' actions changed her life. She remembered her father planning to kill Draco and his family for revenge, but decided how pointless it was after he planned to steal the Time Turner.

Now that she looked back, she realized Draco may have meant well when he decided against telling her the truth. He must have seen how happy she was without ever knowing. She remembered how angry she was when she found out the truth, but now, knowing what she knew, she felt thankful that they tried to keep her away.

And maybe, just maybe, she could have been happy without ever knowing. She may have been happy living a normal life with Arnold, in their house in Berkshire and her having a successful career in Potions. Dumbledore assured her that Voldemort would still be dead even if she went back in time, and she knew she could keep her secret buried and get the life that was taken from her.

 _But either way, it's not the same anymore, is it?_ Gemini thought. _I know who I am now, and things will be different. I know what I want, what I believe when it comes to blood purity, and the very truth of who my parents were to Arnold's. Can I really keep that a secret? Would be fair to Arnold that I kept this secret from him, that once upon a time, my father possessed my body and killed him? On the other hand, do I really want a different life?_

 _And then there's Leo._

"Uhh…hello?"

Gemini broke out of her train of thought. She knew what she had to do. Part of her knew it wasn't the totally right thing to do, but hey, she was a Slytherin after all. She didn't do what was right, she did what she wanted. She would never be Gemini Black ever again, but that didn't mean being Gemini Ridley had to be a bad thing.

And one of those was keeping this job, even if she knew the risk in staying close to her cousin.

She looked down at Scorpius and smiled. "Thank you, Scorpius, but I know where your father's office is. I'll just drop it there and go."

"Are you sure?" Scorpius asked warily. "I don't think I should let anyone go alone in father's office…"

"I'm actually running really late for something, Scorpius, and I'm doing your father a favor." Gemini said curtly. "If your father found out I was late because you kept me here waiting…"

She could see this pale boy get slightly even paler. "That won't be necessary."

Gemini smiled. "And besides, Scorpius, it'll only be a moment. You can go back to doing whatever it was you were doing."

"I suppose so." Scorpius opened the door wider, letting Gemini in. She walked past him and strode down the hall without giving the paintings and artifacts a second glance. In a different world, Gemini Ridley would have felt inferior to the kid, living in a dingy inn and barely affording a house of her own. But somewhere, in a house in London and in one of the vaults in Gringotts and Merlin knows where else, all those riches, all those historical pieces were hers, and, for now, knowing that was enough for her.

With Scorpius taken care of, she knew what she had to do with that letter in the office. _Now that that's taken care of,_ she thought, _I just have one last thing to take care of._

~0~

Gemini walked past everyone, focusing on nothing but what she had to. She was amazed by how many people were there, but she ignored them all and kept walking. He was in here somewhere, after all. He had to be.

Finally, after a minute, she found him right where she expected him to be. He looked up, saw her, and though he looked uncertainly, he smiled at her. "Hey."

"Hi…"

"What are you doing here? Aren't you supposed to be partying with your fiancé?"

Gemini scoffed and grinned. "Oh, cut the crap, _Leo_. We need to talk."


	82. The Road Not Taken

_**Here's the next chapter. The song playing while writing this that inspired me: I'll Hold My Breath by Ellie Goulding**_

 _ **Until you see me in your dreams, we'll stay awake beneath the trees…You are the risk I'll always take, the only branch I'll never break.**_

Chapter 42

At first, she thought it would be a good idea to tell Leo everything that happened, wishing that if she once was powerful enough to bend the magic of a Time Turner, surely she did something to help Leo remember just as she did. But while she went on and told him the story of a different future, she noted how his facial expression went from guarded to confused to looking like she needed to be locked up in St. Mungo's, and she realized how stupid her plan was to tell him, realizing he was hardly the person Gemini fell in love with. Leo used to tell her how that one month of them laying low in the Flints' summerhouse changed him for the better, and how, before that, he was a notorious and heartless philanderer in the elite pureblood circles who had doubts about her parentage and even more doubts about her due to the fact that she grew up with Muggles. This was the man Gemini was talking to, and it was only at the end of her monologue did she realize how pointless it was to continue.

"And then my father possessed my body and…eventually…killed…you." Gemini ended weakly. _Oh fuck it,_ she thought hopelessly, looking at Leo's puzzled face. _He doesn't remember._

The cool October breeze passed, blowing her hair into her face. Gemini gave a frustrated groan and brushed her hair aside, knowing there was no way she could be any more embarrassed. The sun had completely set, she was even later for her engagement party than before, and the Ministry Headquarters closed half an hour ago and they were talking along in an alley beside a decrepit-looking house that housed the Floo Network closest to Charing Cross Road. She tried looking at Leo, his hair still colored honey blonde and wearing large round glasses with his disguise, for some bit of acknowledgement or memory of any of it, but the alley was dark and if he had the least bit or memory of what she was saying, he was surely fooling her.

Gemini sighed. _I chose you, you idiot. Why can't you even remember?_ "Look, doesn't the fact that I know who you are and your plan and who all the Death Eaters are seem strange to you?"

"I'm inclined to believe Abigail just couldn't keep her mouth shut, sorry." Leo said bluntly, still dazedly trying to comprehend everything Gemini just said in the past hour. "So you're saying that if we try and bring the Dark Lord back…?"

"You _tried,_ and my father thought all of you unworthy and killed every last one of you. You can't do that anymore. He's gone for good."

Leo scoffed. "Such reward for over seventeen years of searching."

"Yes, but…" Gemini tried recalling everything he said. "That wasn't your real plan, was it? You never intended to help me resurrect my father and fulfill the prophecy. Your parents just needed the Death Eaters' help."

His eyes widened. That was the part of the plan only he and his parents knew, and his parents died keeping it a secret. "How did you…?"

"Because you told me." Gemini snapped. "You only needed to find me and go through with the betrothal your father and my mother planned for us. You'd manipulate me and the Death Eaters into thinking we'd resurrect my father if in exchange I'd marry you and continue the Black family line, but you'd never really help me afterwards."

"Why did I go through with helping you, then?"

 _Because you loved me once enough to do it._ "Because you knew I wanted to do it and I convinced you there was no point in continuing the Black family if the wizarding world was in a state like this." Gemini said. It was humiliating and unbecoming of a Slytherin to convince someone that he once loved her, after all.

"So that means I have you to thank for your father's _reward?_ " He asked tightly.

"I didn't use the Imperius Curse on you, you know. You chose to help me."

"It would seem that way." Leo said blankly. "Do you regret turning back time?"

"No. Before I went back, there was pretty much no life left for me there. All my friends were dead, so many people were dead, and even if I destroyed the last little bit of Voldemort, I probably would have still ended up in Azkaban." She shrugged. "Turning back time means no one has to die, though at this point I can see that I'm going to be more grateful that Abby's alive, not you."

Leo bit his lip and scratched his head. "Look, Gemini…I'm sorry, but…"

She didn't want to hear it. Her memories of what happened was a bit fuzzy, but she could recall the guy she fell for and looking at him, seeing how he couldn't remember because what they had been through never existed in this course of time, made her want to cry. "Look, I know you don't remember any of this, but once upon a time, I think I loved you. A lot. Now that I think about it, I actually really did. And when I look at you, I think I still do. But it's clear that's not going to happen now.

"But you know what?" Gemini said strongly, just wanting to get over it, "I feel like as long as you're alive, then that's okay for me. I can see I can't force you to remember, so I'll let it go. I'm sorry I even thought you could remember…"

Gemini made her way towards the end of the alleyway and turned around the corner, heading back to the Leaky Cauldron. She wanted to kick herself for being so stupid, thinking everything would be okay. But it wasn't. Even if she saved the world, a Slytherin rarely got a happy ever after. She was so engrossed in her own thoughts, desperately trying to come up with an excuse as to why she was hours late to her own engagement party, that she didn't hear the footsteps running behind her and gasped when she felt someone grab her arm.

"Suppose everything you told me," Leo started. Gemini turned and saw a calculating look on his face. "About your father, the Death Eaters dying, all that stuff—if all of it were true, then you're—"

"The most dangerous witch after my own father? I've been told that quite a lot before."

"You know it then." He grimaced. "At least let me walk you back."

"Fine." Gemini said before she continued walking.

Leo walked beside her, itching to break the awkward silence. "What are you going to do now?"

"Honestly, this whole telling you plan was banking on the possibility you remembered." Gemini shook her head. "Since that's not happening, maybe this is destiny's fucked up way of telling me I was exactly where I was meant to be before all that happened. Maybe I'll go back to Arnold's, try to explain why I'm really late, move to that house in Berkshire tomorrow, live that normal life and try to return to my life in the past because you and I obviously don't have a future."

"You? A normal life? After knowing everything you know?" Leo smirked dubiously.

"Doubt I can do it?"

"I doubt it's what you want."

"Seeing as I gave up a pretty fun party just to talk to you, I can't see how you came to that conclusion." Gemini said sarcastically, and a faint smile stretched on Leo's serious face. "But I am _happy_ with Arnold. I'm happy you're alive, and Abby, and all my friends, both Death Eaters and Aurors, and maybe even glad cousin Draco is still well."

"You're a Black, Gemini. You're meant to be more than just _happy_."

"Do I have a choice?" Gemini smiled sadly.

Leo's eyes looked intently into hers, and he laughed bitterly. "That's funny."

"It's a ten minute walk," Gemini said dryly. "Please, humor me."

"You could convince me to resurrect the Dark Lord, bypass a plan my parents came up with less than an hour after your father died, _and_ love you at the same time. Yet I couldn't convince you enough to think that marrying me now for the sake of our family is one of your choices?"

"Not exactly, you never really pressured me into marriage or keeping up the betrothal. You told me your original plan was to offer yours and the Death Eaters' help if I agreed to marry you and had kids, and you told me you were supposed to proposition that from the moment you told me the truth, but you saw how capable I was to escape the Ministry and you knew I was worth backing. Besides, you had a month to talk me out of resurrecting Voldemort and you only told me about the betrothal thing when I wrung it out of you on the train ride to Hogwarts, so no, it was never exactly a matter of leverage to me."

She had been speaking for a while and Leo remained silent, and when she saw that Leo was lost in a daydream, not paying her any attention. She rolled her eyes. "You know, if you're going to ask what had happened, at least—"

"Heathcliff." Leo muttered. He slowed down and eventually stopped, and Gemini had to stop and turned around.

"Excuse me?" Gemini asked.

"You once called me Heathcliff, didn't you?" Leo asked. His thick brows scrunched as he appeared to be trying to recall something, focusing on something lost in his memory. "Or at least, I think it was you. Or…I think it might it might have been Abigail."

Gemini gasped, the memory playing on a loop in her mind. It wasn't Leo's face she remembered, but someone else's, though she could recall only Leo and the taste of Polyjuice Potion. He closed the door to the train car.

 _And seriously, Heathcliff?_

 _Better Heathcliff than Tootsie._

The memory made her laugh and she stifled a giggle, but Leo seemed to recall something because he grinned at her.

"You remember that?"

"I…I don't know." Leo ran his hands over his head, massaging his scalp as he tried to think.

"What else do you remember?" Gemini asked. A moment ago, she had given up hope that Leo could even remember the slightest memory of her, and now she was holding onto a thin string of hope she prayed would only get better.

"You…your boyfriend. Did you…nah, I don't think you would."

"Would I _what?_ "

Leo peered at her. "By any chance, did you blast your boyfriend away when he tried fighting me?"

Gemini closed her eyes, trying to remember that moment.

He was on top of Leo, pummeling him with his upper advantage. She recognized the back of Arnold's hair and yelled at him to stop.

 _I'm so sorry, but you have to understand why I'm doing this._ He put a whistle to his lips, summoning the rest of the Aurors.

She raised her wand at him, repeating his words scathingly, before sending him flying yards away.

She opened her eyes. "Not exactly. He was beating you up, but I sent him flying because he alerted the Aurors on us."

"Oh…" Leo said thoughtfully. "And that night in Hogsmeade before you got the Resurrection Stone, you had a bad dream and started screaming, didn't you?"

She could remember that night clearly. "I did."

"And you couldn't sleep so I had to wrap my arm around you so you wouldn't get scared."

"How would you even remember that?" Gemini asked skeptically.

Leo frowned, trying to understand what was going on, and took a deep breath. "Ever since this afternoon, it's like…like…these memories are coming to me, but at the same time, they're not. Like a really good or bad daydream that just seems too real to be imagined but you can swear that you've never been in a moment like that in your waking life. I thought it was just a bad case of daydreaming, and I thought it was easy to forget and sort what I knew from what I imagined, but then you came and suddenly, it just…slowly makes sense. It's like…

Gemini felt the hope sinking back in her pit. _Oh please let this mean something._ "Like a memory of something that never happened?"

He looked at her. "Yes. Exactly like that. I remember, but at the same time, I don't." He said slowly. "I remember that night in the tapestry room in Grimmauld Place, how you destroyed the Ministry just to save me. Did you, er, make your father upset by choosing me in any way? Oh, yes, I remember you saying that too."

"What's the last thing you remember?"

"Green light. And you were holding the wand. The girl looked like you, only…it wasn't. Like, she looks just like you in all my memories, but her memory was…different, and I knew it wasn't you. But when it as only the green light I could see, I felt something, like I wasn't afraid of Death." Leo said. He turned to Gemini and placed a hand on her cheek, softly brushing his thumb against her face. "I also remember…"

He placed his lips on hers and felt an electrifying shock stem from her lips. He seemed surprised at the spark, unexpected by how strong it was. But Gemini remembered this feeling, and she couldn't describe how happy she was that it was one of the things she could remember clearly.

Leo wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her closer, but after what seemed like a long time, he finally pulled back.

"So...what did you remember?" Gemini asked.

"Assuming everything I remember about you is true, I remember enough to know that I'd gladly fall in love with you over and over again." He grinned.

Gemini smiled back, her heart beating out of her chest. Leo offered her his hand, and she took it, and they continued walking. "You know it's going to be the same thing, right?" Leo asked. "I can't base who I'm going to be on memories I'm not even sure are all true."

"Of course not, I don't expect you to." Gemini replied. "But I'm willing to try and see where this goes."

They turned the corner on Charring Cross Road. "So am I, and I'd like to see what kind of different future you and I could make."

Leo stopped and looked straight ahead, and Gemini turned to see what she was looking at, and froze. She had been too distracted to notice that they had continued walking, and now they were a few buildings away from the Leaky Cauldron. It had that unimposing charm that made Muggles ignore it, but to magical people, the bright light coming from the translucent windows was visible. Gemini saw two wizards coming out of the doors. She did not recognize the older one with graying hair and an outfit that was a poor attempt to blend in with Muggle fashion, but the younger one resembled Neville and dressed slightly more like a Muggle, though he was wearing summer clothing on a cold night. They appeared to be staggering as they walked, and Gemini wondered how Arnold was holding up considering the fact that it was very late. But still, why was Leo still walking her here?

As though he read her thoughts, Leo quietly spoke, looking straight at the pub. "I think I could love you, Gemini. Compare some memories I think I have of that future to the memories I have of this present, and I think I would be happy being in love with you." He turned to her. "But you have to understand that what you went through, everything that led you to me, isn't going to happen in this future. You won't be trapped with me in a summerhouse and we won't slowly love each other for our determination to resurrect your father, as you put it. I'm willing to try because I feel like I want to, but you have to understand: I'm dangerous, I'm not the guy you remember, and I'm not doing this for our betrothal anymore but because I feel like some part of me still remembers you.

"But you have to be prepared for what goes with that. The Death Eaters, for one thing. I don't know how I'll convince them to forget their cause. And there's also the fact that you're entering a world of Purebloods, don't you? You can't say you're the Dark Lord's daughter, and no matter what, you'll always be Gemini Ridley, the orphan who grew up in a Muggle orphanage whose blood status will always be questioned. Take it from someone who is half-fawned over by pureblood girls and half-hated by the rest who think disowned Blacks are considered scum, no matter their blood purity. I ignore them, naturally, but you need to know as early as now that things will be different, and they won't be easy."

"That doesn't explain why we're here." Gemini said quietly.

"I want to see where this goes, but I don't want you to think this is your only option." He motioned his head towards the pub. "If I did love you, I know I should give you a choice. You were happy with your old life, the life you thought you were supposed to have, and maybe that should never have been stolen from you in the first place.

"I'm giving you the chance to pick where you want to continue changing the future." Leo said steadily. "We can try and see with great difficulty where this relationship will take us, a rather unstable and unsafe prospect with an impossible and possibly difficult bloke such as yours truly, or you can continue on, try to get the simple life you once had."

Gemini looked at the pub. By this point, Harry and her friends in the Ministry were already there. They were all her friends and Arnold's friends, but once upon a time, they had run after her and she had witnessed some of their deaths. Hell, her Slytherin friends were there, and she remembered how they killed Ministry and Order members to appease her father, members who were partying in the same room. "You know it won't be simple living with a secret only you and I know."

"Yes, but you think it would be worth trying to forget?"

"You can't simply forget what I know." She said grimly. Gemini bit her lip and looked at him. "If my life wasn't stolen from me, nothing would have ever led me to you."

Leo opened his mouth to reply, but stopped, glanced at the pub, and made a smooth step backwards and onto the shadow of one of the unlit buildings nearby. Gemini quickly stepped into the darkness with him and turned around. She saw what he did and gasped, but Leo gently covered her mouth to keep her from making a sound.

There were three people exiting the pub, one of which was Arnold. The last time she saw him, her father killed him using her body, so to see him made her stop and look in amazement. He looked somewhat disappointed, a sad smile on his face as he briefly chatted with the man and woman before the other two left together. Arnold looked on the left and right side of the road, not bothering to look at the dark street in front of him.

"It's your choice." Leo said quietly, both of them watching as Arnold looked dejectedly down the street once more before going back inside. "I'm sure you'll find a way to explain why you didn't show up. You are a Slytherin, after all."

Her future was literally at an intersection. The street connecting to the street she was on led not only to Arnold and the engagement party: it led to the house in Berkshire, the job in Malfoy Apothecary, marriage to Arnold, and possibly a life of kids who will eventually grow up, go to Hogwarts. Arnold told Gemini so many times she had the makings of a Gryffindor, would all her smart, honest, and brave children grow up wondering why they ended up in Slytherin, not knowing it was because they were descendants of Salazar Slytherin?

And then there was Leo. He was the unstable choice, he was the choice that may not even go successfully. Would she still love him if they weren't resurrecting her father or stuck hiding in the Flints' mansion or planning the comeback of the Black family? And even if she ended up marrying him, they'd never get to publicly say the Black family had been restored. She was, after all, a Muggle-born in most people's eyes, and to the public it would be the marriage between a descendant of a disowned Black and a Muggle-born who managed to worm her way into the pureblood-filled Slytherin. There was no denying that the spark she felt when she was with Leo was still there, but was that enough?

She looked at the pub once more and sighed.

"You're right; I am a Slytherin."


	83. A New Future

Chapter 43

Gemini found it odd, waking up on a normal bed, not wondering what she could do next to resurrect her father faster or whether or not the Aurors were close to catching her. Technically speaking, the last time she slept normally had been less than twenty four hours ago, and while everything that occurred seemed to be but a highly-detailed dream, it felt so weird to wake up, wondering what the future really did have in store for her. She could hear the bustling sounds of the street outside the window, a comforting sound assuring her that, if her hunch was right—which it normally was—then everything was going to be okay.

"Good morning."

She tossed around and turned to face the other side of the bed and saw him, wide awake, smiling at her. "Good morning." She said, smiling back. "What time is it?"

"Just a few minutes 'till seven." He answered. "Excited for today?"

"Today, tomorrow, and every day after that, maybe."

"Good to hear." He grinned and moved forward to kiss her. Gemini was ahead of him and rolled on top of him. She straddled him, leaning forward as she teased his hair, but the sunlight shining into the window shone on her eyes and she stopped and looked out the window.

Outside the window, she could see an unordinary sunny day, considering it was the beginning of winter. It had been less than a day since she went back to the past, and had this day went the same way it did before, she should now be at the bottom levels of the Ministry of Magic, discovering her connection with her father. And every night after that, she swore she had never seen the sun this way. She hoped it was a good omen.

"Gemini?" His voice brought her back to earth. "Are you alright?"

"Don't worry," she smiled, leaning back over him. E"

verything will be okay."

He smiled back. "Everything will be okay." He agreed, raising his head slightly and placing his lips on hers. Gemini giggled before rolling off of him, landing on the soft, plush bed, feeling, for the first time, everything _was_ going to be okay.

"What are you doing to do about Arnold?"

Her smile disappeared, and she turned to Leo. "I'll deal with that later, Leo." She said grimly. "I know what I have to do."

~0~

Gemini knew better than to show up in the Leaky Cauldron, and apparated in his room. When she heard no noise outside his room, she went to the living room, hoping to catch him, but she saw no one was awake yet.

There was a glum feeling to the house, like it was as washed out version of a memory in her mind, which was still trying to sort her memories in place. She had only been in the upper floors a few times, but it had always been bright and cheery. She suddenly remembered that the flat came with owning the Leaky Cauldron, and one of the reasons she and Arnold rented the house in Berkshire in the first place was because his parents were working for Hogwarts next year and he didn't want to give up his career in research to run the Leaky Cauldron. The library was only a few blocks away, but Arnold agreed to move to Berkshire because she worked in Wiltshire, and now, she realized, he had to choose between living alone and farther in a house too big for one person, or getting his own flat in London whilst paying for the house for the next six months.

 _I know that should be enough to make me feel guilty, and it kind of does, but I shouldn't stay with him because of guilt that we already paid that Muggle realtor and made that six-month contract_ , Gemini told herself. _Besides, I can totally pay for all of—oh, right. I don't own the Black vault anymore. Damn. But anyway, I don't mind paying for my half of the rent every month._

"He went to your house." Gemini jumped and turned. She had seen him die, so it was surprising to see Neville standing. He didn't look angry, as she expected him and Hannah to look. In fact, he looked as though he already explained herself and forgave her.

Gemini stood awkwardly. "Look, about last night..."

Neville held a hand up. "Say no more." He said gently. "You've dated my son for less than four months, Merlin knows you could be the sensible one among all of us for doubting this engagement. Though you could have sent note that you were planning not to show up, Hannah was growing frantic and demanded the Aurors looked for you, you know, in case you were kidnapped by Dementors or something."

 _I'm pretty sure I could command an army of Dementors if I tried hard enough,_ Gemini thought, but bit her lip in case she accidentally said it out loud. Of all people she should be careful around, Neville Longbottom was one of them. "I just…I don't think I can go through this. _All_ of this, if you can understand." Gemini said sadly. "I hope you don't think I just used your son—"

"It's fine, I understand. Hann's not so clear-minded, though, so you'd better get going before she wakes up."

"Thank you." Gemini said politely. "I'll go."

"Good luck." Neville said as he watched her disapparate.

~0~

"Gemini!" Arnold jumped out of bed moments after she appeared inside the room. He looked better than he did before, though was less muscular. He hugged her tight. Just two days before this, she would have smiled and hugged him back, but instead she felt like she was being hugged by an old friend. "Where were you? Why didn't you show up last night? Why did—"

"Arnold, you better sit down." Gemini said, part of her just wanting to get over the worst part of this. "We have to talk."

It took almost an hour to get it through Arnold's head that she didn't want to be with him anymore, and not just postponing the wedding itself. He repeated arguments he gave up long ago when he knew the truth about her, but Gemini remembered where it all led to and knew what to say, feeling partially sad that she was hurting him, but partly frustrated that she had to go through it again. No, she was not the good person he thought she was. No, she was a Slytherin, no matter how much he tried to say otherwise, and that included the traits he did not particularly like. Yes, his parents married after three months of dating and were still together, but he and Gemini were not his parents and she couldn't agree just because his parents were the lucky ones who loved each other. She was careful not to let anything slip, not mentioning her parentage or the fact that she watched him die in what in her mind was less than a week ago.

Arnold begged her not to give up on them, but Gemini found it was better to just be honest. And as she kept talking, she realized the alternate future didn't really matter and what she was saying was coming from her own heart: whether or not she was Voldemort's daughter, she _was_ hesitant to marry him in the first place.

 _It's not fair to him,_ Gemini thought as Arnold looked like he was about to cry. _He can't be married to someone like me, especially not when I know the truth of who I really am, and I know it's something I can never tell him. I can tell Leo anything, and he'd understand because he knows who I am. I never should have met Leo if it weren't for what should have happened last night, but the thing is, I did, and I'm glad I still can, and it wouldn't be fair to Arnold if I married him but kept thinking about someone else._

"If you're sure that's what you want…" Arnold muttered after a long awkward silence.

Gemini nodded. "It is." She said. "Look, Arnold, you are going to find someone who can love you the way…the way I can't."

"You know, I don't totally understand you, but if this is what you really want…okay." Arnold smiled sadly. "I'll understand, for you. You know how I feel about you, but I can respect your decision. I won't be the vengeful ex-boyfriend type, I promise you."

Gemini laughed. "And I hope you find someone who loves you the way you could love them." She smiled. "Can we still be friends?"

Arnold took her hand in his and gave it a soft squeeze. "Of course. Maybe that was my mistake, falling in love with you after saving my life when I could have just thanked you." He looked around the room. "I suppose you'll be staying in this room, then?"

Gemini looked at him, confused. "Wait, what?"

Arnold's eyes widened. "I'm sorry if I assumed wrong. I figured you'd find it awkward to move back in the Leaky Cauldron, and since you work in Wiltshire, I thought you'd live here."

"I thought you'd want to live here." Gemini said guiltily. "Your parents are selling the Leaky Cauldron, anyway."

"Yeah, but they'll be leaving by September next year, Gemini. I've got a couple of months to find a flat of my own in London. Plus, mum's selling to one of her friend's cousins, and I think I can get an inn room for myself when we've vacated the flat." Arnold said. "You, on the other hand, have got no place of your own. Why not keep it? I insist. And I'll pay for my half of the rent, still."

Gemini hadn't thought about it. She thought she would be living with Leo now, but then she realized she was trying to re-build a relationship based on memories they had, and she wasn't sure if she was risking too much by moving in with him all of a sudden. Arnold nodded encouragingly at her.

She smiled. "You don't have to. It's a big house, Arnold. I guess two friends can share it."

Arnold snorted. "You really think we could do it? You think you could tolerate seeing me every morning and not feel tied down? You think I'd enjoy seeing you getting back into the dating pool?"

Gemini's lips tightened into a flat line and shrugged. "It's not the most ideal living arrangement, but for the next six months, it's ours, and we _both_ need a place of our own. And I'm not even sure if I'll be staying here."

"Why, are you planning to stay somewhere else?" He asked suspiciously.

She didn't want to say she was leaving him for a guy she technically barely met. _Careful…_ "Yes, Abby's. She called me this morning asking why I wasn't in that dreadful pub party last night." She said smoothly. It was sort of the truth, after all. Abigail called Leo's Floo Network to report that Gemini was AWOL from her party, but it was still kind of the truth. "Here: we'll both pay for the house, and we use it whenever we want, not feeling awkward that we're sharing it with our ex."

Arnold sighed. "Deal." He shook her hand. "So…"

"Yeah?"

"Nothing. Are you going to be okay?"

Gemini smiled. "Don't worry. Everything is going to be okay."

And for the first time, she believed it.

~0~

It was such a beautiful day and Gemini hadn't simply wandered the streets in a long time that she decided to apparate a couple of blocks away from Leo's flat and walk the rest of the way there.

Gemini tried to remain positive, but the street where the alleyway she apparated to was noisy due to the Muggle vehicles causing traffic. Nearby, two Muggles were quarreling in public. Gemini crossed a street to another block, nearly getting hit by a driver attempting to run the red light, showing Gemini a middle finger as though she wasn't following the signs. She passed a newsstand and saw the main headline was still about the group of terrorists threatening to kill Muggles in the name of religion, and she wondered how many wizards would get caught in this terrorism due to Muggles' folly.

 _So much for a good day._ She regretted her decision to apparate far away from the flat and took an alternative shortcut through a busy street, and so many Muggles were bumping into each other, too distracted with their phones as they stared at it and walked. One teenage Muggle girl bumped shoulders with Gemini, and the girl was the one who had the audacity to look offended. Gemini felt her optimism being tested, and she was itching to take her wand and make the girl trip.

And then she stopped, and then realized this was the view she'd had to admire, the one she chose when she decided to change time, even though it was the last on her mind.

These Muggles were all flawed, no doubt, and flaws that are fatal to them were mere trivial issues wizards had that could be solved with magic and knowledge wizards had and Muggles didn't. Without her father, and with what they knew that no one else knew, Gemini and Leo knew it would not be worth risking their lives for Gemini to continue in her father's legacy, and even with the Death Eaters in tow, they could not change the world. Not anymore, not in a wizarding society completely changed and modernized.

Still, Leo was going to introduce her to fellow purebloods, wizards who shared different kinds of blood purity beliefs, Slytherins who weren't so bad once she got to know them, and, for now, that would do for her.

 _Muggles still rule and continue to destroy the world we live in, the purebloods are thinning in numbers as each generation passes, and there is nothing I, the Dark Lord's daughter, can do about it._ Gemini thought grimly. Seeing the rest of the way she had to walk, she rolled her eyes and went down a deserted alley, checking if anyone was watching, before apparating directly into Leo's flat. She found him sitting in his drawing room, holding out a cup as a house-elf poured some tea. He smiled at her, that silent language they had that came automatically for them. His half-smile was questioning, asking her if she handled Arnold, if everything was settled before they continued this second future.

 _Considering the alternative consequences, though, I think I'm good._ She smiled back.

 _ **Hello everyone! There is one more chapter after this!**_


	84. EPILOGUE - The Last Mission

Epilogue

 _Two Years Later_

No matter how hard they tried to put it behind them, no matter how hard they tried to keep the secret a secret, they couldn't.

They couldn't, for the wheels have been set in motion practically right after the Dark Lord's demise, and years and years of planning and searching could not be suppressed by any of their attempts.

First and foremost, there were the Death Eaters. Despite the fact that Leo disbanded them, told them he came into evidence which suggest there would be no point in tracking the Dark Lord's daughter because resurrection was impossible, and there was a large possibility that Gemini Ridley wasn't the girl they thought she was, they knew too much that they could not simply drop it, and at the same time, they've been immersed in the search for so long that any attempt to erase their memories could be disastrous. He tried telling them that Gemini wasn't who they thought she was, but their seven years of surveillance was more than enough proof: she resembled Gemini Black's mother and parts of the Dark Lord before his first resurrection, the necklace Bellatrix wore, even her bloody name matched the long-lost baby's!

And second, there was the scandal last year when Leo decided to do two things that didn't seem to add up. He publicly stopped using his legal pseudonym, Malcolm Carey, and with the approval of Draco Malfoy, the closest legitimate descendant of the Black family, declared he was going to use his birth name, Leo Phoenix Black. Because of the new laws that stopped pureblood advantages, the process was easy. Most wizards believed he did it in an attempt to restore the name Black, and though it was not the legitimate branch filled with members who weren't descendants of disinherited Blacks, he was going to continue with the family's pureblood views, which he himself openly believed.

Then he openly admitted to seriously dating Gemini Ridley, an orphan with unknown blood purity and was most likely a Muggle-born.

The Death Eaters knew something was up. Why would Leo drop everything, suggesting Gemini was a Mudblood and they were all wasting their time, only to end up dating her, defying the pureblood beliefs he upheld all his life? No, anyone with half a brain could put two and two together and know that any daughter of Bellatrix Lestrange was a Black, and a Black marrying a Black would result in the revival of the once noble house. It became clear that anyone who was a rich pureblood Slytherin knew about the Death Eaters, and to that extent, who they believed Gemini Ridley was. For more than a month, Gemini was sick with fear, the thought of repeating imprisonment for merely being born creeping in her thoughts. She moved in with Leo back to his mansion in Wiltshire less than a year after they started dating, and for more than a month, she was too afraid to leave the house, fearing that she would involuntarily conjure Dark magic that would catch the attention of the Aurors, or someone from the Slytherin community would inform on her. Leo was preparing escape plans wherever they went, ready to protect the one person he cared for more than himself.

But then, there was something they did not expect: the loyalty of Slytherins to their own kind.

Gemini eventually discovered that in a changing wizarding world where being a pureblood was no longer an advantage, Slytherins were highly protective of anything pureblood-related. Unknown to Leo, the restoration of the Death Eaters had been an open secret among the elite circles of Slytherins, but it was so well-kept among Slytherins, who did not want to join yet fully supported their attempts to resurrect the Dark Lord, that it never reached the ears of those who weren't Slytherin, save for that traitorous Ravenclaw who sat in the Wizengamot. Gemini discovered that she too was one of those well-kept secrets. They knew who she really was, even though neither of them said anything. Given that Leo and the Death Eaters were looking out for her, only for Leo to drop everything and eventually be seen with her, everyone eventually figured that there was something they didn't know that Gemini and Leo did, and if Leo wasn't doing anything to resurrect the Dark Lord, then perhaps it was for the best.

The highest circles of elite, pureblood Slytherins was different from what Gemini expected. She expected a world of manipulation and snobbery. She expected to be snubbed on for public reputation as a Muggle-born, as well as the fact that she dabbled in Muggle past times like watching their movies and going to Muggle restaurants. But she found it was better than she imagined. Because Slytherins were often shunned by others, a community of Slytherins always looked out for one another. They frowned upon her Muggle tendencies, but they overlooked it and tried to teach her how their world worked. They were kind, but not in the smothering way other Houses used that didn't have wit or sarcasm or a bit of humor. They protected each other, and while others called it nepotism, Gemini saw it was because Slytherins had no one but themselves, and she had never seen other houses do what she had seen Slytherins do for others.

To the wizarding world outside their small circle, Leo was adapting to a free world where blood purity didn't matter, and when he proposed to Gemini six months ago, it was his way of welcoming the first Muggle-born to marry into the Black family, albeit a different, disowned branch. But to the Slytherins, it was truly the restoration they had been waiting for, because as long as Gemini was married to Leo, then the Black Family still stood. The Weasleys weren't the wizarding world's biggest family so as long as Gemini and Leo had a family of their own. No one outside their circles would know or understand this, but for now, knowing that blood purity of the Slytherin and Black lines were still extant was enough for them.

~0~

Harry looked at the report in front of him incredulously. "Honestly," he shook his head in disgust. "He's as bad as his mother."

"You can't blame him if those were the facts he heard." Ron muttered. "These are quite some coincidences there."

Hermione scowled at her husband and whacked the top of his head with her copy of _The Daily Prophet._ "Honestly? You've met Gemini, and you've met Rita Skeeter. Gemini's not the easiest person to get along with, and perhaps you've still not forgiven her for jilting Neville's son in that party two years ago, but would you trust the column of Rita's son over her?" Hermione said. "It's a load of rumors, and we all know rumors are mostly garbage."

"I'll have to agree." Harry said, tearing the full-page story, crumpling it in a ball, and tossing it in a bin. _Honestly, twenty years and the Prophet still publishes garbage like this._ "Raymond Skeeter's grabbing at straws, trying to stay relevant and stir trouble, especially on a day like this. Disgusting, really."

Ron scoffed in agreement. "Remember what he wrote on yours? He claimed _you_ were staying true to your Black family heritage by marring a distant cousin. As if you were marrying my sister for her _Black heritage._ "

Harry rolled his eyes. " _Bellatrix Lestrange and Voldemort's child?_ Please, he wasn't even old enough for Hogwarts during the Second Wizarding War. Voldemort couldn't possibly have had a child. Gemini's a lot of things, but I'm sure she's not Voldemort's spawn." He turned to the Auror Magnus. "No, get a public statement that we won't be holding an investigation on this. Gemini interned for the Ministry once, and her background was thoroughly checked before she even entered the Atrium, and we have found and see no reason to disturb her with these…these…empty rumors. I'd tell you to denounce gossip columns as well, but I'm pretty sure everyone knows Raymond Skeeter is rubbish and no one needs a reminder."

Magnus nodded and exited the room. "Skeeter must have gotten his hands on Rodolphus Lestrange's file. Remember when he said Voldemort had a child? He must have found out about it from someone." Harry sighed in exhaustion. "Remind me to put extra security measures on the files of Death Eaters. God knows how much damage control I'll have to do when the slander suits come."

"Gemini's a strong girl, though." Hermione pointed out. "If she can survive Hogwarts as a Muggle-born Slytherin, surely she can survive these false claims."

Harry nodded, but Ron pursed his lips. "I don't know, love. I'm just saying, everything in this article just clicks, doesn't it? I mean, Leo's been working on this floor for years before and we never knew he was a Black descendant."

"I did." Hermione pipped up. "But that law Walburga Black created to re-name disowned branches was almost passed so he had a right to use an assumed name. He mentioned it, but said he'd rather not be known, so I didn't say anything."

"Yeah, well, what about that bit where only Slytherins knew about the secret? You know how those blokes reacted when Kingsley abolished the Half-Breed Regulation Act and the Anti-Werewolf Legislation on the same month? You don't suppose they keep secrets from us."

"Oh I know they do," Hermione sighed. "You can't expect them to turn away completely from their supremacy. But I doubt they could even keep a secret as big as this."

"Plus this isn't the first time Raymond's suggested this, remember?" Harry added. "He wrote an article—obviously smaller and not taking up the entire page—a few days after Leo and Gemini announced their engagement. The Aurors looked into it, of course, seeing the possible threat if he were telling the truth."

"Well of course Gemini would deny it if you asked." Ron said.

"But we didn't ask Gemini, we asked the one person who would know, seeing as he has a lot to lose if Gemini _was_ his cousin: Draco Malfoy." Harry recalled. "If she really was Voldemort and Bellatrix's kid, he'd probably know, and he'd be in trouble, seeing as it's his family's partial fault why Voldemort lost, and Gemini can avenge her father. But no, he said Gemini was just the Head of his company's Potions Division, nothing more. He happened to know about her because Slughorn mentioned her once when he was travelling from Hogwarts after having a question about the donations the Malfoy family had been sending to Hogwarts. We confirmed this claim from Slughorn and Headmaster Flitwick. Malfoy swears it's all just false rumors."

"What if Malfoy's in on the secret too?" Ron countered. "What if—"

"Oh honestly, Ronald, it's like you _want_ these rumors to be true so you can arrest Gemini!" Hermione snapped. "Especially today. You'd just love to ruin it for her, wouldn't you?"

"No I don't! I'm just checking every possible lead!" Ron said defensively. He huffed, leaning back on the sofa in Harry's office. "Still, though, that girl is definitely a Slytherin. Ambitious, I'll give her that. Two years ago, she was some humble kid living in an inn, but then she dumps the guy who gave her free housing and now she's worming her way into the likes of Slytherins like Malfoy."

"Oh, don't be bitter, Ron. It's quite unbecoming on you." Hermione said loftily. "You obviously haven't learned that people aren't black and white. Yes, she broke Neville's son's heart, and she may have chosen a different path we didn't expect her to take, but that doesn't make her totally evil, does it? Don't tell me you've forgotten what she did for you two when she interned for the Auror Office? She nearly died on the job and I gave you hell for it, don't tell me you've forgotten. And besides, I heard from Hannah that Arnold's doing pretty well. I see him often in the Wizarding Library. Being Junior Head of the library seems to suit him."

"Hermione's right." Harry smirked, his mind focused elsewhere. "There are good Slytherins out there, Ron. Good in their own way, I guess, but they mean well."

"Yes." Hermione agreed. "So let's wish Gemini the best and move on with this awful rumor. Hopefully Raymond Skeeter's article won't bother her, but after today, she'll be wealthy enough to charge Skeeter with slander, which does sound entertaining."

~0~

There was a knock on the door.

"I'll get it!" Abigail announced. Gemini was too preoccupied looking at her reflection in the mirror for a bit of self-assurance that she didn't notice the commotion coming from the door until Abigail's voice was getting screechy, and she snapped out of her reverie and turned to see her best friend arguing with someone by the door. "But it's not tradition! It's in terrible form and it's bad luck! No! I don't care if we're in your house Leo, damn everything but don't—"

"Is that Leo?" Gemini asked. "Let him in. I'm sure we have some important matters to discuss before I head down."

Abigail looked at Gemini and then uneasily at the other side of the door. "Are you sure? What about…?"

"I've been lucky this whole time, Abby. I think a few minutes with my fiancé won't make that much of a difference." Gemini grinned.

"Fine…girls," Abigail motioned all the other girls to leave. She turned to Gemini. "I'll see you downstairs. Leo…"

"Abby," Leo nodded as she exited and he entered, but he froze when he turned and looked at Gemini. "Wow. You look…"

She smiled when he was at a loss for words. "You can tell me that later. I assume you wanted to talk about that gossip column." She motioned at her copy of _The Daily Prophet_ next to her desk. Though the Black Mansion had an extravagant library, an office for Gemini's work in Malfoy Apothecary, and an Astronomy room at the top floor, she had a habit of piling books on her desk in her room. "Funny, it would seem the Prophet thinks it has enough money to survive a libel suit."

"I've already asked Cyrus to handle it."

Gemini looked at the mirror on her dresser and adjusted her emerald necklace. "Good luck to your attorney, then. When most of Raymond Skeeter's allegations are posed as questions, there's not much he can do but destroy Skeeter's reputation, though I doubt there's much left to destroy." She turned to Leo. "Are they mentioning it downstairs?"

"Just a few warnings here and there. A couple of suggestions of solicitors who do well in libel cases."

"Yes, I'm sure Slytherins know a lot about libel cases." Gemini smirked.

"Gem, I'm serious." Leo said. He approached her and took her hands in his, leading her to sit with him on her bed. "This isn't the first time this has slipped out. Who knows what he's going to do in the future? When we have our first kid? When every children of ours is sorted into Slytherin?"

"Of course all our children will be in Slytherin. You are, after all, restoring the Black family." Gemini shrugged. "I'd love any child we have, but if they're sorted into any other house, you can tell they'll do something to get blasted off."

Leo looked unsurely at her. "And you're not worried?"

"About the future? I doubt I know what the future holds at this point. As for that article, apart from those who know us, who else is going to believe it?" Gemini smiled. "I may be a lot of things to a lot of people, but _Voldemort's daughter?_ Really? Who's going to believe that?"

"Possibly everyone in our community…"

"…who have everything to lose if the whole wizarding world knew the truth." She assured him. "You're not scared, are you?"

"Of course not. But you know I'd never risk anything that could harm you."

Leo leaned forward and kissed her, but Gemini gently pushed him away. "That's sweet, but we have a lot of time for that later." Gemini smiled. "Anything else that happens, I have you to help me."

Leo sighed in frustration but smiled and stood up, helping Gemini up to her feet. "I love you, you know that?"

"I had a feeling you did." Gemini teased. "Now go downstairs and wait for me."

Fifteen minutes later, Gemini was downstairs at the vast backyard of the Black mansion, everyone's eyes on her as she stood at the end of the aisle. Behind her, Abigail was fixing the edges of the long Elie Saab wedding gown.

"You look great, Gemini." Abigail whispered behind her when she was done. "You nervous?"

"Me?" Gemini whispered from the corner of her mouth. "Hell no."

"Then get up there, queen." Abigail said excitedly. "Good luck."

Gemini walked down the aisle and the choir began to sing. The mansion was slightly smaller than the Flint summerhouse, and didn't have the same vast field behind it, but it was very regal-looking, with lush green hedges around the perimeter, and a hill on one end overlooking a view of nearby mansions. On that day, the entire backyard was draped in green, white, and silver, and Gemini thought everything looked perfect.

At the head of the aisle, she could see Leo trying to appear calm, though it was clear seeing her made him emotional, and seeing her in her room and seeing her walk down the aisle were two different things. She smiled at him, looking handsome and no longer trying to hide his black hair and dark eyes to disguise himself.

Around her, most of the guests were Slytherins. She looked slightly to the left, her side of wedding guests, and noticed Draco Malfoy, who looked back into her eyes. He was considered a blood traitor, yet was still accepted in the elite circles of Slytherin purebloods despite his actions in the Battle of Hogwarts and the fact that he didn't teach his son that Mudbloods were scum. It was partially because he was still one of the wealthiest wizards in their circles, and also because his mother was considered the last legitimate one to carry the name Black. He sat in one of the two rows of Gemini's non-Slytherin friends, seeing as he was one of the few who tolerated them.

Their gaze was a silent one, one no one would take as other than a friendly glance between the CEO of a company and one of his executives, but at that moment, they said everything they needed to say.

Draco knew that she knew the truth. He didn't know how, but she knew, and it appeared she knew for a long time already. And yet, he was surprised that, instead of the rage and fury that would come from a child of the Dark Lord, she made it clear he was not in any trouble and he would be safe, and they wouldn't have to talk about it and had a silent truce. Both of them also knew this would continue, of course, as long he made it clear to the public that he supported Leo and considered him a legitimate Black. Whether Leo appeared in the Black Tapestry in his own right or as Gemini's husband, she knew Leo deserved to be a part of the family.

She reached the end, and Leo moved next to her

"On to our next mission." Leo muttered loud enough for only her to hear.

"Oh don't start on that again." Gemini whispered, smiling knowingly.

 _Arnold was wrong,_ Gemini thought as Leo offered his hand. She may have been someone different before being sorted into Slytherin changed her, but that didn't matter. She _did_ get sorted into Slytherin. She _did_ form her views based on the Slytherins she grew up on. She _was_ a Slytherin. He didn't know the beginning of a lot of things she knew, and while she couldn't hold him against it, she could understand why he was wrong. And that was why she chose someone who could understand that was far from perfect, but loved her anyway.

 _I know who I am, and I know what it is I want._ She thought happily. Gemini accepted his hand, putting her hand over his. _And I will get what I want._

And when it was over, when she was finally married to her other half and she became Gemini Black once more, she knew she did.

 **THE END**

~0~

 _ **Thank you so much for reading! A big thanks to everyone who read, favorited, followed, and reviewed this story.**_ __ __


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